My PMD xD! Wait for it PART 2!
by Senka92
Summary: I shine brightest in the dark, I am there but cannot be seen, to have me costs you nothing, to be without me costs you everything. What am I?
1. Medicham used yawn

Hoi hoi~! Oh I'm sososo excited to be back in action!

Merry eve of Christmas eve everyone~! I wanted to put this up on a special day and this was what i decided on~!

As usual I do not own pokemon or the mystery dungeon series, but you already knew that didn't you~!

Welwelwelcome back everyone! I sure hope the holidays have been swell for you all and continue to be so!

Now I know we left off on some pretty steep circumstances but do not fret~! Why not you might ask?

WELL READ ON AND SEE FOR YOURSELVES~~~!

^0^

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Everyone was silently gathered in front of team hopes base. The once funny looking base now seemed eerie with its empty dark eyes staring out into the trees surrounding them. The night air was too cool for school... Everyone had been quiet for some time.

"I just… don't get it. This whole curse thing is beyond confusing. It was meant for that coward human, Gardevoir took the hit for him… but Sora did something to take part of it?" Lombre thought out loud to himself.

"That's what Sora was telling us yes…" Alakazam nodded solemnly and turned to Absol who was sat across from him, "Absol… You were present. If you can shed some light on this it'd be much appreciated." Everyone turned to him, wanting so badly to hear something that could help them break the curse.

"She begged and pleaded with Ninetales for some way, ANY way, she could at least ease Gardevoirs suffering and after much consideration Ninetales gave her a medallion. She needed to take it to the legendary bird Pokémon so they could charge it. She then connected part of the curse to herself using this medallion in a special cave and went back to return it to Ninetales." Absol winced remembering the journey back, "Since it was also the key to accessing the curse it would need to be with her. That way when he finally sought to lift the curse his one lead, Ninetales, would have what was needed to do so. But only the one who the curse was meant for can use it now. She was lucky that she had a strong enough soul to take part of the curse in the first place and splitting it again could do more harm than good." Everyone looked down, feeling hopeless.

"Can't we just find him?" All eyes snapped over to look at little Caterpie in shock and surprise. Velcro Leapt over and swept Caterpie up in his arms.

"Yes! You're a genius we'll find him and make him lift the curse!" He laughed and skipped around.

"What?" Ekans tilted his head at the now being spun around Caterpie, "Find him?"

"Yes find him and help him lift the curse." Alakazam nodded in agreement, sure that they could find this mysterious individual.

"That's easier said than done." Charizard muttered rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, how do you expect us to find him?" Tyranitar straightened up and pointed at Alakazam, "If he's anything like you he might not even know he's human!"

"How would Ninetales expect an amnesiac to break a curse he's unaware of? No, I believe he must at least be AWARE of his human past, and, more importantly, aware of the curse. We are going to find him, we MUST find him if we're ever to lift the curse. As impossible as it might sound to do we must try to lift it by any means. If anyone deserves to live in this saved world it's Sora and Gardevoir, after all they've done for us…"

"He's right!" Shiftry calls looking out at everyone, "We need to find this guy, whoever he is, and make him lift that curse while we're still around to see her return! I still need to thank her for saving me from Zapdos!"

"But how will we get him to lift it?" Medicham interrupted, finger in the air, arm propped up at the elbow, "Hasn't it been over 700 years now? Why hasn't he lifted it yet? Weren't they supposed to be friends? What if he can't be convinced to do it? I'm pretty sure we can't just beat him up and force him to lift it." Medicham asked question after question bringing almost everyone down a peg with each one. Velcro seemed to be in another world still as he twirled poor Caterpie around, "I'm sorry for the reality check but these are questions that we need to ask ourselves if we're really serious about finding this guy. Who, what, or wherever he is."

"We can ask all the questions we want, the facts of the matter are only three of us have ever met him before now and one of those three currently doesn't remember." Alakazam explained, "Our best bet is to hope the two who do can recognize him by his mannerisms and personality, if those are still intact." He crossed his arms, eyes closed head tilted down. It was clear that he wished he could remember and be of more use.

"Well… what do we know about this guy?" Shiftry asked.

"He's a coward." Lombre pointed out, "Even though Gengar was accusing Sora of being the human at the time he was right to call them a rotten coward." Everyone nodded in agreement, much to their dismay at being reminded of that day, he was right.

"…" Velcro started paying attention again, though one could question if he ever really stopped. He quit spinning Caterpie around, looking bothered by what was being said. He set the little child down as gently as his suddenly tense arms could.

"Yeah and he's got to be greedy, I mean he fled to save his own skin!" Added snubbull, looking determined to hit the guy. The irony of what she said not dawning on her at all. Only Caterpie seemed to notice the slowly seething Velcro. He clutched his fists and grits his teeth, trying to keep from lashing out at them.

"He's also a fool, who messes with a Ninetails' tails? Even if it WAS only a light touch." Shiftry would have kept going but he was quickly interrupted.

"Enough!" Velcro yelled causing everyone to look at him, "None of you have ANY idea what you're talking about. You weren't there, you didn't know him. You don't get to sit here and bad-mouth someone Sky cares for, even I never really liked him, but at least I knew him!" Everyone either looked down, shifted on their feet or both.

"He's right; he and Absol are the only two who could possibly identify him. Velcro even more so since from what we understand Absol only knew us as humans for a short time, aside from Sora." Alakazam looked stern, but only slightly. Absol nodded in agreement before speaking up.

"I'm afraid I won't be of much use as I only observed until the curse had already been cast and two of the humans had perished. Not to mention it's been hundreds of years, and anything I could have known about him is lost in old memories." He looked at Velcro who glared at him quickly. When Velcro turned away from him he found himself being stared down by nearly everyone. His glare faltered for a moment from the attention, but it quickly came back full force.

"What?" He dared them to speak, most looked around at each other, unsure if they should say anything. Alakazam, of course, just steps forward and places his hand on Velcro's shoulder in an attempt to calm him.

"Velcro, please, you're right, they didn't know him. I don't know him… Anymore." His voice lowered near the end and Velcro looked at him. He could see that he was pained at his lack of all his human memories, of whatever adventures they went on, of his friends. "It would seem you're the only one that has any information on this person." Alakazam squeezed his shoulder, "Please, Velcro, tell us all you can so that we may have better chances of identifying him." Velcro looked at him, at everyone, and then sighed, nodding slowly. Alakazam released his shoulder and stepped back, waiting for him to speak. Everyone stood in silence so as not to miss a word.

"I'll try, but… well… I'm not sure where to start." He blinked and looked at the sky trying to think, "Telling you what he looked like won't be of much use… So I can skip that." He mumbles to himself. After standing there for what felt like forever to his nearly silent audience he spoke up, "Well his name was Gavin and he wasn't the most talkative, kind of… stand offish." He paused for a moment, "When he did talk he could be… brash at times. But it was all hot-air." He waved his hand, "I know I said you didn't know anything but he really was somewhat of a coward… Before any of you go off and assume things he had his reasons!" He glared at Snubbull who had been about to make a snide remark but instead huffed at being stopped. "But he was not greedy or a fool… Sure he could be an idiot at times but hey aren't we all from time to time?" He didn't wait for an answer before continuing, "He was actually getting better about it; he didn't want to be so scared. But old habits die hard." Alakazam nodded his head in agreement; he could understand what he was saying.

"What else?" Shiftry urged him to continue.

"He was a fan of music, I'm sure he remembers at least SOME of his favorite songs even after so long. But don't expect getting him to sing or anything easily, at least with an audience. He'd have to be alone or with those he trusts. Even I hardly ever got to hear him and I was usually in my Pokéball so his voice was a little altered. If he ever broke out into song and I heard him though I'm sure I'd recognize it, but I doubt that'll happen. That and I'm pretty sure you guys don't know any human songs so that in and of itself would be a dead giveaway."

"But what if some of his memories are gone?" Alakazam interjected, arms crossed once more, "Though I believe he must know he was once human, much like Sora he might not have his memories just the knowledge of what he was."

"Well if he's like Sora then maybe you or another psychic can sense it?" Lombre was quick to point out and everyone seemed to perk up.

"True that may be, but even now I still don't sense it in myself… The only reason I even learned I was once human was on the words of Ninetails, Velcro's confirmation, and what occurred on the peak of . There's no telling whether his situation is similar to Sora's or my own. It could be entirely different or a mixture of the two as far as we know." Alakazam turned to Velcro and motioned for him to continue.

"Hmmm what else… oh since No one knew him better than Sky I could use some of her descriptions of him," He laughed, "Ahem *snicker, snortle chortle*, 'H-he's like a tea kettle, he'll just sit around for a while until *Snorts* Until you fill his head with water then put him on a fire and before you know it he'll yell at you but in the end it because he's filled with hot water for making hot cocoa, and I like hot cocoa.' Or-or 'He's like a marshmallow, sweet and fluffy and I still like hot cocoa, but even more with marshmallows!' or wait then there's, 'He's STILL like a marshmallow but in ice-cream because sometimes he just needs to chill.'" Everyone laughed and Velcro took on a somber expression, "I swear she was obsessed with getting him to laugh… she likes it when she gets anyone to laugh but I guess he might have been a challenge so it was even better? It was either that or… she just liked his laugh that much… or maybe both?" He looked up at the sky again; Alakazam understood then what it meant for him to look at the sky and looked up himself. Everyone followed suit and just thought for a little about their situation and just how they'd find this Gavin guy.

Except for two... Their thoughts were, ' _Oh no._ ' Medicham tried to keep her cool. No one other than her and Ekans knew Gengar well enough to put two and two together and assume that he could be this 'Gavin', but it was too much of a coincidence, right? She shook her head, ' _If there's even a chance it's him we should make sure right…_ ' She made a mind link with Ekans, being careful to not get noticed by Alakazam, when he had no reaction she felt relief and spoke up.

' _ **Ekans.**_ ' the snake Pokémon blinked, knowing who it was but didn't want to look at all suspicious, ' _ **Ekans… Those weird songs Gengar taught us when we were younger… you don't think…?**_ ' He took a breath; he had been avoiding thinking too hard about it.

' _ **He lived with humans before so… Oh Medicham… What are we going to do? If we say anything and they think it's him there's no telling what they'll do to him… after what he did? They nearly killed her because of what he said about HER being the human from the legend. If they get even the tiniest reason to believe it was him all along they'll go ballistic!**_ ' He waited for Medicham to reply but she was silent, ' _ **Medicham?**_ ' Another short pause and she finally replied.

' _ **We need to make sure… before we say ANYTHING we need to know 100% it's him.**_ ' She told him, her tone serious and deadly. After a few moments Ekans kept himself from gulping at his next question.

' _ **Wh-what if it is him? What will we do? What if he knew he was human all along like Alakazam says he could?**_ ' She thought for a moment and shook her head lightly.

' _ **We'll cross that bridge when we get there… let's just… hope he's not or else the others will have a full on riot.**_ ' She glanced around trying to think, they needed an excuse to get out of there and get home. Whether he was back or not he'd be there at one point. ' _ **Ekans, we need a reason to leave, NOW.**_ ' She fretted with a sense of urgency when nothing came to mind. Ekans quickly thought of something and yawned deeply. Medicham understood what he was trying to do and followed suit, it came more naturally than she thought and she really did feel tired. Alakazam noticed and glanced at them looking concerned.

"As much as I would like to continue our discussion, we need to rest; it's been a long and taxing day for us all." Alakazam stated, to their relief, "We should meet back in town during the evening tomorrow to devise just where to start in our search." Everyone agreed but Velcro looked at the team base with an uncomfortable expression. He wasn't sure about where to stay and he didn't want to stay in Sora's giant head house… thingy? Not if she wasn't there, it crept him the creep out of creepiness… of the creeps. He jumped when a hand was placed on his shoulder and he turned to see Alakazam.

"Feel free to come stay in my home Velcro, I can sense your," He paused and looked at the Base, "Unease." He finished with a raised eyebrow. Pika could be heard mumbling ' _It's not that bad…_ ' under his breath. With his arms crossed and his chin digging into his chest in annoyance he left for home walking alongside Absol who remained silent.

After watching them leave Velcro looked at the psychic Pokémon. Looking thankful he just nodded and off they went, Tyranitar close behind them. Tyranitar noticed someone was missing and stopped, looking back at Charizard.

"What's the holdup Charizard?" He asked crossing his arms.

"Just going to make sure this one gets home safe." He replied as he picked up little Caterpie, who was looking ready to fall asleep. Tyranitar smiled, gave a small chuckle, and nodded before continuing to follow Alakazam and Velcro home, towards town. Everyone went their separate ways, heading home to sleep for the night.

Once no one was in sight Ekans and Medicham went from walking to straight up sprinting. Ekans slithering on the ground as fast as he could, as tired as they were they had to find out. They had to find the truth. They reached their base and rushed through the door and instantly went to Gengars room… to find him sleeping.

"Oh great," Medicham whispered harshly, "He finally does what I've been telling him to do for nearly 2 days straight RIGHT when we need to talk to him." She shook her head and walked away. She grabbed Ekans by the tail and dragged him away as he was about to wake him up. "No Ekans… It'll just have to wait until tomorrow."

"But what if he gets up and leaves before we get up?" Ekans pulled free and looked at her, worried. "It wouldn't be the first time he left while we were asleep to be alone."

"With how tired he was?" She scoffed, "Not gonna happen. Even if he does it's not like we can't just find him or wait until he comes back. He needs to sleep, and that's that." She stared him down daring him to pull what he did last night. He sighed and slithered off to his room. After staring in the dark at his room she also went to her room for some much needed shut-eye.

She laid her head down, hands behind her head looking up at the ceiling… She growled. She knew before she even got home that she wasn't going to sleep, no matter how hard she tried. So she just kept staring up at the ceiling, frustrated about the whole situation… She sat up and looked intensely at her hands as they balled into fists. The moonlight through the circular opening in her wall was the only light as she thought about what to do. Then she got an idea…

"I'm every bit a psychic type as Alakazam is… so maybe I can check without waking him up?" She smiled as she whispered to herself, as if trying to talk herself into it, "Yeah… Then that way he'll never know." She felt dread at the chance they were right and he really was that human… ' _Would we have to keep it from everyone and try to lift the curse ourselves? How do you even go about lifting a curse?_ ' She shook her head and got up, ' _Whatever I just… I just need to find out if he really is that guy first and worry about the rest later._ ' She took a steadying breath and pushed it back out smoothly before getting up. She made her way to Gengars room slowly, every step she took made her feet feel heavier. Walking in the entrance nervously she looked over at Gengar. She stopped dead in her tracks, eyes narrowing and she just about saw red.

"Ekans?! What do you think you're doing?" She hissed and he jumped slightly, luckily Gengar was dead asleep and didn't even react to any of the noise. "You've got a LOT of nerve to try this AGAIN. What part of he needs to sleep don't you understand." He looked at Gengar and then back at her.

"B-but-" He tried to say.

"No, no buts, OUT." She pointed at the doorway behind her, his mouth gaping looking for something to say before looking down and slithering out without another word.

She glared at him with arms crossed tightly to keep herself from lashing out at him as he passed by. Her foot tapping harshly the whole time he was leaving. Once he was out of sight she huffed and crossed her arms.

She stood there questioning if what she herself was doing in there was okay. ' _How else will I find out? Knowing him he wouldn't admit it if he is the human and if he's not he'd just get mad at me for accusing him without enough proof… Not that he has any right to think that, but still._ ' She uncrossed her arms and looked over at him before sighing and walking over. She reached her hand out to touch his forehead.

She stopped just an inch away, fingers curled limply with uncertainty. She stood still, silent as questions ran through her head, ' _How will I know? What am I looking for? Would I even sense it after knowing him for so long? Wouldn't I have sensed something by now?_ _Maybe it wasn't even Alakazam being psychic but it was their shared past and some part of him recognized her? What WILL we do if he's the one?_ ' She scrunched her eyes shut, trying to silence the doubt and keep moving, but her hand wouldn't budge.

After what felt like an eternity she let it fall and turned on her heel, hands clutched at her sides in frustration. She left his room and made to go back to hers, slowing to a stop in the doorway. She eventually relaxed and dragged her hand up to bring it in front of her face, staring at her palm helplessly. She knew she couldn't do it, and she knew she couldn't go to sleep. So, Restless, she went out for a moonlit walk in an attempt to calm her nerves.

Arms crossed and brow furrowed she wandered, not really caring where she went. Her mind was racing with questions so fast she couldn't think about any of them. On she went with her footsteps, quick and rhythmic, easily breaking the silence of the night. After what felt like hours of walking, her feet beginning to feel sore, she stopped. Looking around she found herself in an empty meadow just outside the forest. She blinked in surprise a few times at the small hill nearby.

"Didn't realize I went out this far…" She thought aloud recognizing this as a meadow near town, just over the hill was the town in fact. She sat down as she sighed out of both relief and frustration at their situation. Her hands were balled into fists on her lap with her glaring at them.

"UGH!" She yelled, scrunching her eyes shut and falling onto her back, covering her face, "Why does this have to be so hard! Why can't whoever can just lift the curse on their own time? Why do they even NEED us to go find them and ask them to do something they should already be at least TRYing to do!?" Hugging herself she looked at the stars glimmering above, "I don't care WHO they are, but they'd better fix their mess soon... Oh who am I kidding they've waited all these years why would they do it now? Because we asked nicely? HA! I doubt it." She ranted and raved, this whole thing was really getting under her skin.

' _And if it IS somehow Gengar he's going to have some explaining to do…_ ' Her brows furrowed, remembering those songs, ' _Those could EASILY be from when he was with the humans though. But still, the way Velcro described this human was pretty similar to him… but it's wasn't the most detailed description, was it? Seemed a little broad actually… oh I don't know what to think about all this… Questions questions questions! All I can think of are questions! What I need, what WE need, are some answers!_ ' She huffed in frustration. She placed her hands across her belly and took a deep breath, looking at the stars again. Her eyes softened as she looked up at them. The irony that it was a "star" that nearly destroyed their homes and took their lives was not lost on her as her breathing evened out.

She took a deep breath and focused on listening to the trickle of the small stream nearby. She felt tired and started to close her eyes when they snapped back open and she sat up.

"Who's there?" She called, knowing she had sensed someone.

"… I guess there's no getting past you psychics is there?" They chuckled as they revealed themselves to be Team ACTs Charizard.

"Charizard? What are you doing out here?" She asked curious, propping herself up using her arms behind her.

"I could ask you the same thing." He mused crossing his arms, "My base is just over that way." He tilted his head to his left, "I was on my way back after taking Caterpie home. I was hoping I could sneak past you." He uncrossed his arms and sheepishly scratches the back of his head with his right hand.

"You saw me here?" She sassed, disbelieving.

"Saw you? More like heard you yelling about something or other, I wouldn't be surprised if my team heard you! Hahaha!" He chortled as she flushed at his words.

"Wha-what?!" She quickly put a hand over her mouth and looked in the direction he said his base was in, her face growing red, "I was that loud?" She tried to keep quiet.

"Yea, 'Fraid so." He nodded.

She looked at the ground, having a small panic attack. No one was meant to hear anything she said, ' _At least I kept my mouth shut about Gengar and my suspicions. If anyone knew about that it could have been a disaster! I nearly blew it!_ ' She hit her own head mumbling, "Stupid loud mouth…" Her eyes screwed shut.

"What are you going on about anyways?" She stopped and turned to face him, nearly having forgotten he was there.

"Oh just… uhm," She didn't want to but she couldn't keep herself from blowing up about it, "UGH, I'm just so frustrated about this whole curse thing. Why do we need to do ANYTHING, it's not our curse. Why doesn't that human guy just do whatever it is he needs to do!?" She let herself fall onto her back again, covering her face, "Who does he think he is getting everyone else involved!? He should've done something a LONG time ago, right?!" She lifted her arms as if reaching towards the sky, "I swear if I ever get my hands on that guy I'll give him such a thrashing!" She growled.

"I didn't realize you cared so much?" He walked over and sat down next to her.

"Well, I don't know Sora much, and I've never met this Gardevoir but… Ekans is friends with her and I guess Gengar is to? It's hard to tell with him though... What really has me so annoyed are all the questions! Like how I initially thought that as a psychic I'd be able to tell if anyone was a human like Alakazam did with Sora. But then I thought 'What exactly would I look for? What was it he sensed in her?' and 'What if Alakazam could only sense Sora because of their shared past?' or even 'Why can't Alakazam sense that he himself is a human? Would I be able to sense it in him?'"

"That is… quite a few questions." He looked at the ground, unsure of what to say.

"I KNOW! And that's not even the half of it!" She sat back up and was going to keep going but he put a hand on her shoulder so she stopped and looked up at him.

"I know it's frustrating… but depriving yourself of sleep over it won't help. Just get some sleep and bring up these questions tomorrow when we all meet up in town. Alakazam might even be able to answer some of them… hopefully. Everyone's on edge right now because of the whole situation. It's not just you who's feeling like they're owed some kind of an explanation." He gave her a smile and she just looked at him before shrugging him off roughly and grumbling. He sighed, "If you want to stay up all night over it then I can't stop you… but try to keep it down, okay?" He insisted half-jokingly while standing up, looking at her for some form of confirmation, after she gave him a quick nod he left for home.

She hugged her knees to her chin sitting there, waiting until she couldn't hear him anymore and sighed. Staring into the distance at nothing in particular time drifted by as her worries over her suspicions hammered in her head. Just when she was thinking about heading home her head snapped toward the direction Charizard had gone.

"What? Here to tell me to go get some sleep to?" She sneered, "Alakazam?" He stepped out of the trees, hands folded behind his back as he took a moment to consider her.

"Yes and no." He answered simply, eyes betraying nothing of his thoughts.

"Oh? Well what else is it then?" She mused as she stood up and crossed her arms leaning back slightly, trying to look composed.

"I realize you thought I hadn't noticed at the time. I could feel you and Ekans speaking through mind link before I assume you yawned as an excuse to get away." Medicham's crossed arms came undone and all of her composure fell away.

"Th-that was a private conversation!" She clutched her fists, "What did you hear?!" She started to shake, a bead of sweat rolled down off her chin, ' _This is it, he knows. Would he tell the others? No, surely he knew what would happen if he did. But it's also their only lead to lifting the curse!'_ She clutched her eyes shut waiting for the ball to drop, _'I blew it, I shouldn't have made the link in the first place, I should have known better with another psychic so close! I should have-!'_

"Nothing." He replied calmly, she stopped and opened her eyes wide.

"You… you didn't listen to it? To any of it?" Her mouth was agape, shock written all over her facial features… She found it very hard to believe that he actually kept his mind to himself. Especially with everything that's happened recently.

"No, but I could sense worry followed by an urgency to return home." His eyes narrowed and she gulped, "If it has anything to do with the curse, anything at all… If you think you've found something, please, tell me. It doesn't have to be now and you can trust I won't say anything." He brought his arms forward in a gesture of trust.

She looked at him, her eyes flickering back and forth her mouth opening and closing. She turned her head away, jaw locked, her eyes burning as she glared at the ground. She shook her head, no way would she trust HIM with such sensitive information.

"So you won't tell me?" He asked and she shook her head again, not trusting her voice. "Does it have something do with the curse?" He stepped forward gently, his voice betrayed slight desperation to know. This surprised her enough to look at him again and see that his own composure was now falling away. She bit her tongue, ' _Maybe he can help…_ NO WAY! _What am I thinking!? I'd never ask HIM for help!_ ' She turned around facing her back to him.

"…Look just drop it, I'm not telling you." She tightened her crossed arms. "It was a private conversation and it's going to STAY that way." She started tapping her foot in annoyance and chewing on her upper lip. ' _Please drop it, please drop it, please drop it…_ ' She closed her eyes and her heart started racing, ' _pleasepleaseplease-_ '

He sighed in defeat and she perked slightly.

"Alright, I won't force it out of you." She turned to face him again, feeling relieved as she released a breath she'd been holding.

"Good, because-" He cut her off.

"But you should know that if it has anything to do with the curse or a way to lift it. I WILL find out what it is eventually, with or without your help." His voice turning serious as he walked up to her. When he stopped he was standing at his full height. One could hardly tell he was still recovering from his broken leg. How a handful of berries could cure such an injury was amazing to say the least. He had always been taller than her, but she was never close enough since her evolution to tell by just how much and it was very much intimidating.

But there was a moment she realized he was indeed intending to come off as intimidating since being nice and asking wasn't working and she wasn't about to take that. She narrowed her eyes and uncrossed her arms puffing up her chest and straightened her back.

"Just who do you think you are?!" She started jabbing him in the chest, not at all pleased that he just stood there unmoving, "Walking up to me like that! HA! I'm not some little weakling like when we were kids! Don't think I've forgotten what YOU used to be like!" This made him falter if only slightly, but she noticed and grabbed onto it, "Yeah that's right! You and your friends might be a famous rescue team now but as I recall you were far from being the kind and wise leader you are now!" She gave him a short lived smirk.

"That has nothing to do with this conversation and is uncalled for-"

"Uncalled for?!" She had to get on her toes but she got right in his face, "You wanna step to me like you used to when we were young? Expecting me to just fall into my old routine of stuttering and then say this is uncalled for?" She seethed, "Well tough luck."

He opened his mouth to speak but didn't.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, not so easy when I bite back is it?" She leaned back crossing her arms triumphantly; she'd been waiting years to say that. She had no idea she'd actually struck a nerve, his regrets. But his response wasn't like the collected Alakazam everyone knew him as now. His fists clenched as he threw caution to the wind for the first time in years.

"You can pretend that all you want Medicham, but in truth it's only because you've become what you hate most. The fact that your team name is 'Meanies' says it all. You're still that scared little girl, just with a mask of arrogance covering it up." She faltered for only a moment at his words but it was quickly gone as her eyes grew hot with an old rage.

"I'll show you SCARED!" She just about screamed as she lunged at him with a thunder punch. He honestly hadn't expected her to attack him so the punch landed. The hit knocked the air out of him when it connected with his gut and sent him sliding back about two feet.

He kept from falling over despite the surprise attack thanks to years of experience. He looked at her in utter shock, watching the crackle of electric energy still surrounding her fist. Her blazing eyes glaring at him from under her shadowed face, terrifying in the black of the night.

"Medicham… I'm not going to fight you." Alakazam cursed himself under his breath for what he'd said, it wasn't like him to say something like that, not since-

"Tch. Like I care!" She barreled at him with a high jump kick only this time he was ready. He teleported out of the way and she ended up damaging herself. Her psychic senses allowed her to instantly look where he'd teleported to her right a few feet away.

"Medicham! This neither the time nor the place!" He yelled.

"I'm not the one who started it." She growled back.

"Wha- I haven't made any move to attack you in any way. I just wanted answers!" He pleaded, trying to get her to understand.

"You started this a long time ago." Her voice low as she brought her fist back slowly. Crackling energy forming around her fist for another thunder punch.

"We never meant for-"

"I wasn't about to listen to your excuses then and I'm not gonna start now!" She dashed forward and threw her renewed thunder punch; he grabbed it and held her fist. She threw her other fist at him only for him to catch it as well. The yellow lights were dancing on their faces as they stared each other down. She started kneeing him, he went to block it but it was his bad leg and he winced. She saw the opening and slammed her head into his.

"Listen and listen good, Ekans might have forgiven you but I haven't. I've been playing nice these past few years for his sake but I'm getting real tired of looking at you." She shoved him away leaving him looking at her.

"Medicham if I had the power to turn back time I would!" He yelled and she looked at him, what he said only caused her fury to grow.

"Well you can't!" She yelled, "You can never take it back! All the things you've ever said, what you did to him! I don't care if you didn't mean for it to go that far! Because it did! IT DID GO THAT FAR!" Her eyes burned more, now with hot salty tears, "I nearly lost him because of YOU." Before she could say anymore she felt more approaching. She quickly regained her composure as best she could. She wiped away the tears quickly and roughly, her red eyes thankfully hidden in the dark.

Alakazams face fell and became unreadable and dark as he sensed them as well. Not daring to look anyone in the eyes in his current condition he turned away to hide his face from them.

"Hey, what's all the…! oh." Tyranitar yelled as he walked up with Charizard and Velcro stopping within a few feet of them two, looking over at Alakazam with worry. Velcro more than confused upon seeing that the sounds of fighting had come from them.

"What do YOU want?" She growled through gritted teeth glaring daggers at the members of team ACT as if daring them to step at her like Alakazam did. Even though she knew they weren't yet aware of what exactly happened just moments ago.

"We heard fighting…" Tyranitar pointed out, "And thought we'd check sure what the fuss was about." He looked over at Alakazam now as well. Medicham glared at Charizard, wanting an explanation as to why Alakazam came out in the first place, and he could tell.

"When I got to the base Alakazam asked if I knew what the yelling he was hearing outside was. I told him it was you ranting on about the curse and he came out to investigate. So when we heard the fighting... I figured that this is what we'd find." He nervously scratched the back of his head wings fluttering. Velcro looked at her suddenly.

"The curse? Do you know something about the curse?" When she looked at him her eyes weren't quite so harsh.

"No, I'm just mad that we need to do anything to lift it when this Gavin guy's the one who should be doing it." She half-lied.

"Oh…" She felt bad at the look of disappointment on his face but shook it away, ' _I can find out on my own if it's true, I don't need them,_ ' she looked over at Alakazam again, ' _And I certainly don't need HIS help with ANYTHING._ '

"You can stand there like that all you want, it doesn't change anything." She continued to glare at him, he hadn't moved and his expression hadn't changed. He stayed like that for a while all eyes on him until she was finally fed up with the whole situation, "Whatever." She grunted as she started walking away, waving a hand at him nonchalantly.

' _ **Medicham.**_ ' Her steps faltered but she didn't turn to face him, ' _ **You're right, you know me better than the others ever will. But it's a double edged sword to know me so well, because it means that**_ _ **I know you as well. You're hiding something; I can tell just by the way you hold yourself, crossing your arms as if hiding what's in your heart, clutching your fists to hold in whatever you're keeping. How you keep locking your jaw to keep from blurting it out. The sudden moments where your minds defenses triple as you think about it. You may be older but old habits die hard. There's something you know that you're keeping from the rest of us and I intend to find out what it is.**_ ' This made her unconsciously gulp as his presence in her mind faded.

After a few solid seconds she dared a glance back at him.

He still hadn't moved but now his pupils barely gave off a low humming blue glow, a look of determination to find the answers he sought. He was still facing away from the others making her the only one who could see them as they looked off into the distance. She looked away again quickly muttering under her breath, " _Should have just stayed home._ " So low no one could hear… at least she hoped so.

She held herself tight as she walked back home, quickening her footsteps. She soon saw her home in sight and couldn't help but take this as a safe place to "quietly" rant to herself again.

"Ugh the nerve of that guy, he's such a know-it-all. Thinking he knows sooo muuuch about me ha!" She stopped in front of the door arms not budging to open it, "…Tch, he doesn't know me, he doesn't know anything…" She leaned forward onto the door, forehead resting on it as hot tears rolled down her eyes and she tried to stop shaking. She backed up, wiping away the tears. Slowly she opened the door and peeked in to make sure no one was there, it was dark.

"Good, they damn well better still be in bed…" She glanced into Gengar's room half-expecting to catch Ekans in the act of attempting to wake him up again. She sighed in relief when there was only Gengar sound asleep, his back facing the door.

She went over to check on Ekans and there he was coiled on his bundle of hay slumbering away. She smiled, wondering if they were dreaming about anything. She knew she could check for herself but decided against it. She knew she was still going to have a hard time getting to sleep, and going out for a walk just made things worse for her in the end so doing that again was out of the question. She shook her head as she entered her own room.

"Back to square one…" She murmured lying down, hands folded behind her head looking up at the ceiling, "Tch… How many times am I going to end up like this tonight?" She brought one hand up in front of her, the one she punched Alakazam with. She looked it over taking all the details into consideration, the scuff marks from where it connected to his gut catching her eye quickly. A bitter smile formed on her face as she looked at it, "Had it coming." She mumbled and folded it behind her head once more eyes tracing the lines in the ceiling.

Before she knew it her mind was flitting with thoughts, though this time it wasn't all the questions no…

It was the past.

Her mind took her back to a time where it was just her and Ekans. They were a couple of silly kids who spent their days playing games and occasionally trained to be stronger. It was their dream to form their own rescue team and help their fellow Pokémon. To protect them so that they'd never feel scared.

But it wasn't until that day that Medicham felt true fear. She tried to push it out of her mind but it was insistent on playing through her mind like a movie, she hated nights like these.

 _You could have done this differently. You could have said that differently._

 _How could they have done that to you? To someone you cared for?_

 _The regrets, the pain, the shame and embarrassments._

 _When you nearly lost someone dear to you…_

Meditite was looking for him, giggling, playing hide and seek with a snake Pokémon like Ekans wasn't easy to say the least. She moved a rock, looked in a tree hole, even stuck her head in the river and looked around. When she pulled her head up, shaking the water off, she went to check another possible spot. She heard a scream to her left, down the river.

"Ekans!?" Her giddiness disappeared instantly and she ran along the riverside towards the scream, she knew that voice, it had to be him.

"Ekans!" She yelled when he was in sight, he was lying on the ground, unmoving. She knelt down next to him and shook him, no response. He wasn't dead so what was wrong with him?!

Nearby three pale faced Pokémon her age she knew stood stock still, Kadabra, Pupitar and Charmeleon. She took a moment to look at them, baffled, she knew they weren't the nicest to her and Ekans… but to go this far? She shot them a glare.

She snapped back to reality and looked at Ekans, unsure of what to do.

She looked around for something, anything that could help.

Could she get water from the river?

He let out a blood curdling scream, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Ekans? Ekans?!" He was writhing around on the ground.

"Calm down Ekans, I'm here now, see?" Meditite pleaded, hands shaking as she tried to hold him down so he'd stop hitting his head on the ground. She tried, as a psychic type, to reach out to his mind and calm him down; it lashed out at her as if in defense. She recoiled from his mind and glared up at Kadabra, realizing then what was wrong.

"What did you do?!" She yelled, demanding an explanation, he stood there unable to speak. Ekans stopped moving suddenly and fell limp. Her heart stopped for a moment, processing what just happened.

His mind was shattered.

 _*Medicham herself was tearing up just thinking about it again.*_

"Why?!" She suddenly glared at the three who did it, "What'd he ever do to you!? WHY?!" She stood up and pointed at them, "Y-you…"

"I-I didn't mean to!" Kadabra yelled.

She began to glow with psychic energy and rushed them; she didn't care if it was three on one. She was going to make sure they got what they deserved once and for all. Lashing out left and right with confusion, the only offensive move she knew.

Medicham blinked and wiped her tears away, willing the flashbacks to stop before going any further. She didn't even want to think of what her life could have been like had Ekans never regained his mind. It took a few years and therapy from a wise psychic to get it done. But they did it and she was just glad to have her friend back.

She still didn't dare reverse any little bit of the process to find out just what is was that Alakazam had tried to read from his mind so forcibly that it broke Ekans' mind. A young psychic with little care for how he used his powers was a dangerous Pokémon indeed…

She turned in her bed and tried to sleep, looking out the window and seeing the light glow she growled and turned the other way. She concentrated on her breathing, keeping it calm and even. She listened to the gentle sounds of rustling leave outside and, finally, after everything she was able to drift to sleep.

 _A deep relaxing breath._

 _Breath in… out._

 _No dreams._

 _No nightmares._

 _Just sleep._

* * *

,

What could Alakazam have wanted to know so badly?! WELL you'll have wait and see, maybe not next chapter, perhaps not the one after that!

WHO KNOWS?!

...

...

...

Oh wait I do!

NYEHEHEHEH~!


	2. Self inflicted Dreameater

Hello~! Here we are again and as per usual I do not own pokemon ^-^ I hope you enjoy reading this!

* * *

Gengar opened the door to his base, yawning and stretching out his back. _**'Gengar… you really shouldn't have done that.'**_ He didn't reply as he glanced around, eyes half-lidded. It was dark in the base, no candles were lit which was odd. Medicham usually stayed up until everyone was home and in bed.

Gengar scrunched his eyes, heading towards the rooms, _**'You can't ignore me forever.'**_ The voice continued, clearly sounding agitating at being ignored once again. He grimaced as he replied. _'Why didn't you just force me not to?'_ He snapped, glaring at nothing. _**'I would have if I wasn't still drained from last time!'**_ He glared into the dark, irritated with her for the nth time that day. _ **'We can discuss this later… We need a proper rest to recover after… everything.'**_ He growled but didn't say anything as he peeked into the rooms of his teammates, empty.

"Must be out…" He mumbled to himself and finally went to his room, dragging his feet. His eyelids drooped even further as his large bed of hay got closer. His anger slipping away as he yawned and fell over onto his bed, finally passing out as his head hit the pillow.

Gengar rolled over in his sleep, hardly a sound in the house save for Ekans grumbling near him. He was holding his head in his tail, shaking it in frustration. Looking up at Gengar his eyes narrowed in annoyance. He lifted his tail and shook the much larger Ghost Pokémon with all he had

"Gengar hey, get up already, hello?" He held his breath when Gengar mumbled… Still sleeping, "Argh, get up, please!" He yelled, poking his shoulder with his tail roughly, nothing. He had been at this for a good five minutes getting little or no response each time he tried… "He's completely out." He sighs into a deep yawn, finally admitting defeat and slithering off to his room.

" _I get the perfect opportunity to wake him up with Medicham out and he's dead asleep._ " He mumbles one last time as he entered his room.

' _ **Finally he stopped…**_ **'** The voice thought to herself, **'** _ **All that pestering when we're trying to sleep had better be for something important; I'll need to remember to mention it to Gengar in the morning.**_ **'** The voice had to have at least part of her mind on alert for so long now that it was natural. She went back to "Sleep" in no time.

Gengar got up and looked around his room, glad that the morning sun wasn't too bright as he walked out into the main room. No one was there, he looked in the other rooms and still no one.

"There's no way Medicham let Ekans stay up all night, they must have gotten up early and went out." He nodded as if agreeing with himself. He went out and everything seemed to be in a blur as he got to the town in hardly any time at all. He looked around again, no one was around.

"Where is everyone?" He thought aloud to himself. He scratched his chin in thought. His ears twitched when he heard something behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to find the source but nothing was there.

When he turned back around he jumped.

"Oh, Sora, it's just you… I'd ask why you decided to sneak up on me but I pretty much get the whole irony thing now… kekekeh." He looked at her waiting for a reply… nothing came. "Sora?" She just started to giggle at her name, "What's so funny now?" She lifted her paw and pointed behind him towards the towns' entrance. He looked over his shoulder again, still nothing. "There's noth-" He turned to her again but she was gone.

Fog seemed to roll in around him, wisps of grey and white surrounding him, he tried to run but his legs wouldn't work.

"Wh-what the-?!" He saw something shifting in the fog and tried frantically to find it.

Lombre's face shifted in and out of sight.

Snubbull's wicked glare quickly joined it.

More and more they appeared, dark and distorted in the fog.

Then they began to speak in hushed but clear voices harsh, cold, mocking.

 _Why is he still here?_

He tried to retort but nothing came.

 _When will he get the message and just leave already?_

' _Make me,'_ He tried to say as he failed to cross his unresponsive arms.

 _He's so pathetic._

He clutched his fists weakly.

 _He should just disappear._

Eyes darted around desperately.

 _No one would miss him._

' _That's not true!_ ' He tried to yell, to scream.

 _Why even bother coming around?_

' _Shut up'_ Nothing.

 _All he ever does is screw up._

' _Stop…'_ Silence.

 _He's just a disaster waiting to happen._

Can't take it.

 _He's nothing but a sniveling coward._

"STOP!" He exploded, holding his head and clutching his eyes shut.

Silence…

He opened his eyes, and they were gone. But so was everything else. Pitch black nothing surrounded him… He was drifting there; just happy the voices had stopped.

"They're right..." He flinched at his own words, "They… They're right." He felt numb as he stared into the darkness, when he heard all too familiar wicked laughter, ' _Kekekeh_ '. But when he turned there was only a mirror. An odd and twisted mirror, crumbling away at the edges into dust. Looking at himself, looking into the eyes of his reflection he watched as the tears flowed. He couldn't feel them nor could he stop them, a hue of blue surrounding his reflection.

He glared at himself, he glared at the tears, his fists were shaking and his eyes burned.

Ghostly energy erupted around him before he heaved a potent shadow ball at the mirror. It did nothing, bouncing off the mirror uselessly and disappearing into the nothing behind him. He watched it until it disappeared before looking back at the mirror, charging energy to hit it again.

He stopped short.

The new shadow ball fizzling away as he stared in horror at his reflection.

His reflection had taken on a sinister smile he wasn't making, shaking its head and waggling its finger as if disapproving of a child's tantrum.

His eyes widened and he took a step back at the sudden red glow emanating from the mirror as it pierced the darkness. His reflection wiped its tears and they seem to levitate away slowly with one swift swipe of the cheek. It had only wiped on side but all the tears flitted away as if repelled.

It reached out, evil glee shining in its eyes as it warped and change, becoming larger. The large hand-

*GASP* Gengar sat up in a flash and looked around in a panic, it was barely light out but the sun hadn't risen into sight, "Wh-what was that…" He propped his head up with one hand, shaking, his other hand firmly planted on the ground nearby, holding him steady. He pulled his shaking hand back from his face and looked at it; he saw it become large and dis-colored for just a moment, causing him to flinch. But his hand was normal instantly, like nothing had happened. He got up, half-expecting the voice to say something. When she didn't say anything he didn't complain about the silence in his mind, welcomed it in fact.

He walked out of his room and looked around the dimly lit base, he went over to his teammates' rooms still shaking slightly, Ekans was fast asleep and Medicham was… gone?

"Wha-" He blinked a few times, his nightmare all but forgotten, "Where's Medicham?" He thought about waking Ekans to ask but he had doubts that he knew. ' _She only leaves like that when something's got her fumed…_ ' He shook his head. "Whatever…" He shrugged it off, knowing she'd be back eventually.

He went to bed and tried to go back to sleep, facing the wall. But it wasn't doing him any good, he kept thinking about his nightmare. He was wide awake and couldn't get himself to even feel sleepy again. He heard the door and assumed it was Medicham so he just ignored the presence he felt looking at him only a few short moments after.

He gave her time to do her usual checking up on Ekans and going to bed herself before getting back up and heading out. He left the base trying not to think about what his nightmare meant, that it even HAD a meaning... The details had already begun to fade anyways.

He walked through the trees, his feet easily navigating him through. He soon arrived at his stump; his nervous grin replaced with a genuine smile as he went over and took his usual place. He used to just come here in order to get away, to think… To be left alone. Right up until he was scared flat onto his butt, his heart pounding a mile a minute. He put the nightmare to the back of his mind, it was only a bad dream after all, and he ate those for breakfast for crying out loud!

"Kekekekeh, maybe I should stage an ambush for Sora? Get her back for all those scares KEH!" He thought for a moment, "But how to go about it?" He tapped his chin in thought, the mischievous intent glimmering in his eye, "Hiding off to the side? Nah too suspicious… If I'm not sitting here she'll know something's up. Hm… I guess staying right here and "Hiding" in plain sight is my best bet, Kekekeh." He crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he'd normally do when sitting there. "Hopefully she gets here soon; the suspense is already killin' me, kekeh." He thought out loud.

He sat there waiting until he finally heard a voice calling him but his ears stopped perking as soon as he realized who it was, his face practically screaming as he thought, _'Oh it's… you.'_ But she paid him no mind as she spoke.

' _ **Gengar? Wh- what are we doing out… how did we get here?**_ **'** The voice asked, as if she had no idea what was going on, ' _Keh! Bout time you woke up, I don't recall you ever "Sleeping in" before, I guess all that stuff you pulled really did take a lot out of ya'!_ ' He laughed it off, _**'You don't sound very mad about it anymore… That's… odd? To say the least.**_ ' He shrugged, ' _It's… well it's not "fine" but as long as you don't do that again I won't make a big deal out of it, if only because I'd like to forget it even happened... I mean it, really, never bring IT up again, EVER._ ' He glared at nothing, _**'Okay, alright, I get it, and besides the plans done, I don't need to do it anymore-'**_ He stopped her, _'Seriously? What did I just say about bringing it up?!'_ She just chuckled, _**'I know, I just thought you'd appreciate that that which must not be spoken of is no longer necessary.'**_ He fumed and fidgeted around, not believing that she won't do it again. He shook his head and tried to forget about it, set on getting Sora back for the scares.

'… _ **Sooo, other than the usual brooding and sulking what are doing today?'**_ She asked merely to push his buttons, _'None of your business.'_ He crossed his arms tighter, wanting her to be quiet so he could concentrate on listening. Sora was quite sneaky and if he let up she'd easily sneak up on him without even trying to! _**'Well considering whatever you're doing is currently what I'm doing I'd like to know what WE'RE doing. Now it IS my business, HA!'**_ He just grumbled something about an annoying Mankey on his back. _**'I'm not a Mankey! Also I'm not on your back I'm in your head!'**_ She would stick her tongue out at him if she could, _'Fine, if you really want to know I'm waiting for Sora, now be quiet, I wanna be the one to spook her for once.'_ She fell silent.

"Finally," Gengar mumbled, thankful for the sudden quiet.

She had receded deep into the recesses of his mind, where her thoughts went unheard, panicking and sputtering despite her voice being only thoughts.

" _ **Oh no….**_ " Her own voice echoed around her, " _ **No no no… He doesn't know."**_ She thought for a moment, _ **"He went right to sleep after NOT listening to me and bringing her back… I tried to tell him why though… Once he got to that place I guess he couldn't hear me at all. How could I be so stupid? But…How will I tell him? Should I tell him? What am I saying?! Of COURSE I have to tell him! Everyone ELSE must know by now and he needs to know to… but how will I tell him?!**_ " She was shook when she soon realized something even worse.

" _ **What about WHEN I tell him?"**_ She gasped, panicking even more, speaking quickly, _ **"The things he'll say- He won't believe me- He won't listen to me all over again-(Not like he does now but still-) He'll be in complete and UTTER denial,"**_ Slowing down she sinks into herself even more, _ **"and when he sees for himself that she's gone and more so the reason why… He'll be crushed that all he can do in the end is blame himself… again."**_ She was silent, trying to compose herself, _**"I-I still need to tell him… If I don't he'll never let me live it down that I didn't at least TRY."**_ She was about to resurface and break the bad news to Gengar when she stopped, something else came to mind.

" _ **What about when the others find out who he is? WHAT he is? After bringing her back right in front of them surly they must know why she couldn't stay by now. They weren't meant to know about her attachment to the curse! Memories or no he's ruined the last part of the plan. 'Get away without leaving anyone a clue.'! And I was powerless to stop him… I've been here too long and am overstaying my welcome. My sway over him has been fading and that last time took all I had left…"**_

She stopped and thought about their predicament for a moment, wondering how they'd find him out, _ **"Right, Alakazam would be able to sense him, he's not like Sora but he's not normal either. The only way he couldn't sense it in him is if I blocked him with my own 'Hey I'm just a normal Pokémon!' aura like I did up on the Hill of the Ancients when Gengar helped with the teleport gem."**_ She paused, _**"But that would mean staying in here even longer and I already feel like I'm pushing our luck, but I'm still recovering. It doesn't matter how many times I block Alakazam… He'll begin to notice my typing if they come into contact enough times. He'll notice when it doesn't completely match up to Gengars and he'll find me. Then there'll be no keeping them from figuring him out. They'll be looking for any way to break that curse, I know it..."**_ She sighed, _**"I know I'd be… I'll have to face him eventually…. And he'll have to face THEM eventually…"**_

She resurfaced to find that he hadn't moved one bit. She could feel his giddiness at the thought of getting the drop on Sora. She could also feel slight doubt since she could easily turn it around. She would have laughed at him and told him just how likely it was that she'd get the scare off on him before he knew what hit him. Perhaps even come up with an idea to give him better odds… Instead she was pensive at even speaking to him.

'… _ **Gengar?'**_ He groaned internally as if she couldn't hear if, _'What now? I thought I said no distractions, so unless you're here with some kinda plan to scare Sora I don't wanna hear it.'_ Slightly annoyed she couldn't help but retort, _**'Even if I DID have a plan you wouldn't listen to it anyways and you know it.'**_

"Pfft, Whatever…" He looked in the corner of his eye.

' _ **Gengar this is serious, I need to tell you something now would you please just shut up and listen?'**_ He blinked at her tone but didn't say anything, _**'Oh? You're listening then…. Huh if only it were always this easy.'**_ He glared at the air, _'Just get on with it.'_

' _ **Sora's not coming.'**_ She cut right to it, not wanting anything else to keep her from just saying it, _**'She can't, she's gone Gengar.'**_

"…" His glare went away but nothing replaced it, she couldn't tell what he was feeling at all.

' _ **I'm sor-'**_

"Ukekekekekekekeh!" He shook his head as if she had said something ridiculous much like Sora would at times, "You're not funny, you know that right? Leave the jokes to professionals, like Sora. And before you say anything I'm only laughing at how STUPID you sound. I mean I know she died, but it was only temporary thanks to yours truly. You were THERE, how could you forget?" She was taken aback and fell silent as he laughed her off.

' _ **I'm not joking Gengar, the whole reason I told you NOT to bring her back is because it wouldn't make a difference! I'm betting that you even gave HER the false hope that she'd get to stay! Do you have any idea what she must have felt like finding out that no matter what she had to leave? That' instead of falling as a hero of legend she had to see their faces as she left? As they all thought everything was going to be fine?!'**_ He growled becoming fed up with how she was still carrying on with her terrible excuse for a joke.

"You're lying!" He got on his feet and went into a defensive stance with his fist's up.

' _ **Prove it then! If I'm such a liar then go find her right now! Show her to me! Alive and well and joking around like usual! I really didn't want it to happen like this but you're .STUBBORN!'**_ She screamed, wishing she could cry.

"Fine! You'll see she's probably at her base resting." He walked through the trees and followed the path, "Kekekeh, I'll show you just how much of a liar you are, not that you don't already know." His already large grin grew at the sight of Sora's base, "Kekeh you ready to eat your words?" She didn't reply so he just shrugged and knocked on the side of the door-way.

' _ **She's not here…'**_ He cringed, _'Shut up.'_

"Sora? You home?" He peeked in, nothing.

' _ **Do you believe me now?'**_ He ignored her and she groaned, _**'Gengar, PLEASE. You're just making this harder than it has to be.'**_ She begged.

"Must have gone up to the hot-springs..." He mumbled to himself continuing to ignore her, much to her dismay. He didn't sound at all worried that the voice was telling the truth.

He went up another path, heading to the hot-springs. Sure that he'd find a hard-worked Sora relaxing away in one of the pools of warm water. Perfect for getting her mind off of how much effort it took to save the world and actually dying, if only temporarily. Being brought back is no easy time either after all, she must have been sore all night and thought of the springs first thing in the morning. He nodded, agreeing with himself.

Coming up over the hill he saw the pools but no one on the surface, but that meant nothing. He knew she was all about diving and doing… Sora… things? He still couldn't stand looking down into the depths of water for any reason. He shook his head trying to shake away the thoughts of underwater. He'd just have to bite the bullet for once and check.

He levitated over the pools of water and squinted, trying to see inside. He pretending he was looking into a dark room rather than water and it seemed to be working as he went from pool to pool. He didn't see her and she definitely would have at least come up for air by now. Maybe he just missed her? Maybe she popped up and went right back down to catch him by surprise once he went over the right pool? That sounded like something she'd do, right?

Now he was bracing himself for a face full of Sora, Especially with how close his face was to the surface for his second checking. His body parallel to the surface of the water.

' _ **Gengar this is both pointless and painful to watch, please… I tried to tell you it wouldn't make a difference. But you… you wouldn't listen! You never listen!'**_ On he went gliding over the pools of water as if she hadn't said a single word, _**'Really Gengar? REALLY? *Sigh*'**_ She went back to her own thoughts, frustrated.

"… _**I hate seeing him look for her when I KNOW there's no her to find anymore. I don't know whether to be mad at him or just feel sorry for him. When he finally realizes I'm not lying."**_ She shrank into herself further to make sure he didn't feel any of her emotions, _**"Stupid… stupid idiot! How can I feel bad for you when you keep doing this!?"**_ When she resurfaced she found him standing by one of the pools, hand on his chin in thought.

She had an idea, she hated herself for it but she had to whatever was necessary to get him to end this awful experience if he wouldn't believe her word…

Maybe he'd believe when he sees the entire town in mourning. She cursed herself up and down for being so cruel but she felt she didn't have much of a choice at this point. Once he goes into town searching for her there was a chance that he'd ask if anyone had seen her. They'd probably get mad at him… But this was his own doing all around in the end.

' _ **Hey I know,'**_ she began sounding overly chipper as if speaking to a child, _**'Maybe she's in town and everyone's throwing her a party for saving the world.'**_ He didn't pay her condescending tone any mind as he perked up with big smile that made her wish she hadn't said it.

"Yeah! That's got to be where... Hey wait why would help me prove you're a liar?" Gengar put his hands on his hips and looked up.

' _ **Oh, well I'm not sure? Maybe I'm .dumb.'**_ She topped it off with an overly bubbly giggle that escalated in pitch oddly that would have Sora glaring at her for being so clearly fake. ' _Only true and genuine laughter was aloud!_ ' she'd have yelled. Even the voice would have cringed at her own plastic sounding laughter if she was able to.

Gengar squinted his eyes in suspicion of her motives. But went back down the hill nonetheless, and made his way back past Sora's base, taking a peek just in case. Heading into town, by now it was evening and he saw everyone gathering in the square. He smiled triumphantly, _'Looks to me like you've foiled yourself. I guess you really ARE just that dumb, kekekeh.'_ No reply, _'Hey you said it first… What? Nothing to say? Not that you could come up with anything at this point. You know that was a cruel joke to try and pull right?'_ Still nothing, he shook his head and shrugged. _'You should have just admitted you were lying from the start.'_

As he approached he scanned the crowd for perked ears tips, a streak of silver fur, or a bouncing flooffy tail. When he didn't see anything he used his ears to find giggling amongst the murmurs he paid no mind to, anything. He waited for the trademark RAWR~! Way she'd yell at the end of a randomness filled rant. Even the sound of Pika trying to make sense of her despite realizing many times it was futile. Eventually he locked eyes with Alakazam who went through a few in the crowd to get to him.

"I assume Medicham and Ekans are not far behind?" He asked.

"Wha? Nah, they probably still home or off who knows where… Why?" He tilted his head in wonder. Why would he care to see them out of the blue?

"Why? We're all supposed to be gathering for a town meeting soon. I'm sure they'll want to be here, especially Medicham."

"Meeting? That's a weird way of saying celebration of not being dead." He rolled his eyes, "Hey, where's the crazy fox that stopped the star anyways? I can't find her anywhere." Alakazam's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in complete shock. He looked over his shoulder, relieved that no one else was listening in on their exchange.

"Didn't Ekans or Medicham tell you? When they got home? This morning?" He was now speaking in hushed tones.

"I was asleep, I don't think I need to tell you why, and I left before they got up this morning… and tell me what? What's going on?" Now the voices earlier 'joke' was looking less and less like a lie. He didn't like where this was going. Alakazam took another moment to look around before pulling him aside further away from the now curious, and annoyed, crowd. Usually he'd just use his telepathy to speak in private but this kind of news was much too personal for the mind in his opinion. After they reached Whishcash pond Alakazam turned back to him again.

"You really aren't aware of what happened?" He asked him again and Gengar was getting frustrated with it.

"Well it's hard to tell whether or not I have since you won't tell me what you're even talking about." He crossed his arms and looked quite unamused. Alakazam looked at him before sighing, his shoulders slouching.

"Gengar… Sora's gone." Gengar's facial expression didn't change.

"Impossible." He quickly insisted, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Wh-what? Gengar, when she went up to sky tower she died and-" As Gengar interrupted him Alakazam noticed something behind Gengar, but said nothing. Gengar didn't catch on to this sudden change in him and kept going.

"I know about that." He waved him off, this threw Alakazam off, and he went from worried to cautious and scrutinized Gengar.

"I don't seem to re-call you being up on the hill of the ancients with us. How would you possibly know she had died up there but still believe she's a hundred percent alive and well?" Gengar choked and stepped back, nervous. He blew his own cover no one supposed to know what he'd done and now Alakazam had it figured out. But even so he'd want Gengar to confirm it.

"W-well I'd heard-" He was quickly caught in the lie.

"Heard? From whom might I ask? Certainly not Medicham or Ekans? You already told me you missed them." Alakazam narrowed his eyes at him.

"U-uhm well I…" He stammered, unable to think of anything, eyes quickly darting to nothing and back at Alakazam.

"…You didn't?" That was it, the accusation, Gengar didn't even need to answer, "You did… You brought her back from the dead." Alakazams face was a cross between disappointment, sadness, and… joy?

"Wha- Nononono!" He yelled in protest but his own body betrayed him as he nodded, he noticed and stopped it.

"You couldn't bear the thought of a world without that crazy fox and brought her back. Now what she said about having 'The devils luck' makes sense now." He shook his head in amazement, "Only you would come up with such a convoluted excuse for her being suddenly back. You really have changed Gengar." His face went back to remorseful, "Well I'm afraid it was for naught. As it would turn out death or no, upon completing her mission she would have to go…"

"No…"He clenched his fists, teeth grinding in anger, "You're lying just like she did!" He stepped back from Alakazam. _**'Gengar, don't start this again plea-'**_ _'SHUT UP! I don't want to hear yours or anyone elses' lies anymore!'_

"Gengar, I would never lie about something like this… and just like who? Who else other than Medicham could have…? Gengar is something wrong?" He reached out to him to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. Before he could Gengar flinched away and stared wide-eyed at him.

"Gengar-" He took off, Alakazams already outstretched hand shot forward further, "Gengar wait!" He ran off, bumping into Ekans.

"G-Gengar?!" He yelped.

"Gengar what happened." Medicham asked as she went about holding Gengar steady.

"Everyone's gone mad! They keep telling me Sora's gone but that's impossible!" Medichams face fell and Gengar knew what it meant.

"…Gengar, I'm sorry-" He pushed away from her and glared at her.

"Don' .It." By now everyone had their eyes on the scene. Plenty of them were angry at Gengar for even showing up and now he was making a scene?

"Why do you even care?" Lombre yelled, "You tried to trick us in to killing her and nearly succeeded!" The majority of the crowd agreed with him.

"Yeah!" Snubbull stepped up and pointed an accusing paw at him, "You're the last one here who gets to be upset that she's gone! Why don't you just leave and let us get to our meeting! We're trying to find out how to lift the curse and bring her back and we don't need YOU getting in our way!" Everyone started to gather around him, Medicham and Ekans trying desperately to keep them away.

"All of you control yourselves!" Alakazam yelled and they looked at him, at Gengar, then back at him. They backed off, Gengars teammates sighing in relief, Medicham turned around to say something to Gengar…

But he was gone.

The voice went on and he was barely tuning her out as he kept moving forward towards his secret place.

'… _**Gengar you can't just keep denying it like this! You'd have found her by now if she were around to find! Why ever would Alakazam lie about something like this?! You even heard they have a plan to get her back by lifting the curse! They need YOU to lift the curse! Don't you understand the position you're in at all?!'**_ She stopped for a moment as if expecting him to answer or at least acknowledge her, _**'Once they find out, that out of all the Pokémon it could have been, it's you? They're going to flip out BIG time. With you on the receiving end of all their frustrations and anger at this whole situation!'**_

He entered his secret place and sat on the couch.

'… _**You know what? No. I don't have to be here anymore. Whatever happens to you happens to YOU. My job is done, a little shoddy, but DONE. I'm DONE! I tired of this, of being here!'**_ This got his attention, she expected a 'Whatever' or something like, 'Good riddance' what she got wasn't at all what she thought she would.

"No." He told her out loud, glaring at the wall across from him, "If they're really after me to lift the curse then you're STAYING for as long as you need to be to keep them from finding me out. You got me into this mess you're getting me out of it!"

' _ **Wh-WHAT?! I tried to keep you from getting into ANY messes and you have the… the audacity to accuse me of doing this! You just got through calling me a liar-'**_ She stopped… something was wrong. His mind was slipping in a way it never had before. She realized then that she'd been there too long already and it was affecting him BADLY.

"You aren't going anywhere if I don't let you." His eye twitched, something was wrong.

' _ **Gengar wait! Something's wrong with your mind I can't stop it! Oh no, no! I've been here too long! You have to let me out before it gets worse!'**_ She was panicking, she tried to push her way out and he pulled her in.

"…" He sat in silence as their wills battled inside of his mind.

' _ **I'LL NOT BE HELD PRISONER HERE!'**_ She yelled, trying to force herself out so violently it sent Gengar flying forward and onto his hands and knees, _**'I've waited too long to be myself again for this to keep me from it! It's better for the both of us if I leave!'**_ She cried out, trying to Reason with him.

"YOU'RE NOT LEAVING ME TO DAMMIT!" He yelled, digging his claws into the ground, finally admitting that she was right, that Sora was gone. This made her falter for a moment, giving him enough strength to stand again.

He let his guard down for just a moment and before he realized it she pushed and caused him to black out completely.

…

…

…

He fell into darkness; he was here before wasn't he?

There was a tapping on his shoulder.

He turned around in alarm.

Nothing?

He squinted.

He saw something in the distance.

When he recognized what it was he felt a cold chill.

The mirror.

He could see the other him in it as if he were standing right in front of it rather than way in the distance.

He went to it.

The image waved at him.

"…Who?" He couldn't finish.

The image pointed at the side of their head.

"Wh-What about my head?" Gengar touched the side his image was pointing at.

They pointed at their eye.

Gengar tilted his head, confused.

Suddenly he understood.

"I?"

The image pointed at Gengar.

"You?"

They shook their head.

"You..r?"

They nodded.

They pointed at their head again.

"Thoughts."

They shook their head and pointed again at their head.

"Mind?"

Shook their head again.

Their eyes grew wild.

Digging their finger into their head so hard Gengar could feel it.

He winced in pain, closing his eyes.

"You're me?"

The pain increased.

Suddenly his eyes flashed open as he understood.

"You're… my memories?"

The pain stopped and he looked at his image, blinking.

"This is where she put them? My memories?"

The image nodded, smiling growing.

They put their hand on the mirror, palm flush against it like a window.

Gengar went to do the same but hesitated.

Hand hovering over his images.

The images' eyes swirled with doubt.

Were they though?

Was it Gengars doubt reflecting back?

Wasn't it his either way?

He was there.

But he was here?

How could they both be him?

Was he ever really him?

Was he losing his mind?

Who even was he?

A human?

A Pokémon?

He could feel pressure building in his head and snatched his hand back.

He clutched his eyes shut.

"I… I don't want to remember." He fell to his knees.

He opened his eyes and looked back up at the image.

Their hand was no longer touching the mirror.

They were smiling wickedly but it did not reach their eyes.

They turned their back to him.

Wait… something doesn't feel right.

No, something was wrong.

He looked down.

What 'floor' he'd been standing on cracked like glass beneath him.

His eyes grew in panic.

He turned and ran from the mirror.

The cracks following him every step.

Nothing to grab onto.

He didn't want to fall.

Not again.

The snow twisted harshly.

His heart beating in his ears.

Blood rushing.

Feet thumping.

The glass broke all at once and he fell.

His vision blurred.

He grew colder.

He screamed.

He couldn't hear the scream.

Never did he land.

Never did he stop.

On he fell into the void.

He felt like he was spinning.

A high pitched ringing grew and grew.

Grew so loud it hurt.

This was just a dream!

A nightmare.

He willed himself to wake up.

He tried to move his body.

He tried to yell.

To beg.

To plead!

' _Someone please!_ '

' _Anyone!'_

' _Wake me up!_ '

' _Everything hurts!_ '

He thrashed about, trying to get his body to move.

But he wasn't able to move, to stop falling, to stop spinning.

' _WHY CAN'T I WAKE UP!?_ '

* * *

LE GASP When will i ever stop being so mean to my poor Gengy! I'm sorry 9-9 But things needs to happen I hope he forgives me by the end. ,

But I sure hope you guys like it as much as I do if not more. uwu'


	3. How many berries did she say?

WAAAAAAAH I'm so excited for this one, SHE HERE GUYS SHE FINALLY HERE THE VOICE YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR HAS A REAL VOICE AGAIN, HER FACE HER TYPING, IT'S ALL HEREEEEEEEEEEEEEE~! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH

(You're gonna need to listen to this, you'll know when ;P)

Senbon Zakura 千本桜 【English ver.】 kran*

* * *

She rushed to break free when he let his guard down, _**'I need to... get out… before my body takes form! It was…. Never meant… to be this hard… Gengar just let me GO!'**_ With that yell the light got further out and she could hear herself yelling. Not just in her head but her real self. She was so close!

Out from the orb stretch two limbs, the tiny white fingers forming into hands and further into partial arms. They placed themselves firmly on Gengars head and started to shove away. His arms had fallen limp by now, but his mind still clawed weakly to keep her in.

She felt snagged, and now that her body had started to form she couldn't stop it. She had to get out completely; it was a race against time. He was crying and sobbing through the pain, she felt bad but he wasn't letting her go. It was hurting her to but it wouldn't stop her.

"You don't know what it's like, being in someone else's mind and body! You can't cry or feel. You can't move of your own accord. I lost that when I agreed to search for you and become part of you for as long as I did!" She yelled with her own true voice, "I knew what it meant but not how badly I'd miss my own voice! It's been so long since I've spoken to anyone other than YOU! I miss socializing, I lived for it!" She kept going as a way to motivate herself. He couldn't reply anymore, she didn't care.

As they finally came apart they were violently knocked back from each other. She face planted right into the wall but couldn't etherealize in time to not hit it. She landed harshly on the ground and a tiny pink gem fell from her with a few resounding clinks. She just stayed there, only moving around every now and then as if it to test her own body.

She eventually lifted her head and looked back at Gengar, now a paler shade of purple and hunched over. He had slammed into the wall behind him and slid down, unconscious, onto the couch. She slowly picked up her pink little gem with a shaking hand and put it back where she hid it in her kimono.

She started to cry, glistening tears falling from her icy blue eyes and disappearing under her white mask. She floated up off the ground and made for the door, not daring to go near him for fear of somehow getting sucked back in. She stole one last look at him before going up the stairs and heading to who knows where, as long as it was away.

She took a breath of fresh air, as she blew the air out a mini blizzard formed from her mouth.

She was floating along taking in the sights and blinking her eyes in the bright light, she just wandered around. Looking around curiously, picking things up just to roll them around in her hands or throw. She finally decided on where to go but there was one problem.

"Which way was town again?" She turned in place sounding worried, the entrance to the secret place was nowhere in sight and she didn't know where she was.

"Uh oh… I let myself get distracted for too long… I'll go… this way!" She pointed and rushed through the trees.

Only to pop out again nearby.

"Town!" she yelled and looked around but her face fell, "Not town…" She turned and considered the tree line once again.

She hopped back in, and once again popped out of the tree line.

"Aaaand town!" After a few seconds she face palmed, leaving a tiny three fingered red mark, "STILL not town…" She murmured sadly, her red ribbon drooping slightly in disappointment.

She glared at the tree line with a fierce determination, making a motion of 'rolling' up her kimono sleeve arms.

"I'll try… this way!" She didn't take any turns this time and just kept going one way.

Eventually she found the road, she thought it was the right road anyway, and went left. Town was to the left, right? She went up a hill and found herself… At the hot-springs?!

"UGH so not where I wanted to go… But at least I know where I am now." She went back the way she came. She found herself at a cross roads, a path to her left and one straight ahead. She was sure on the way this time. Going straight ahead she would pass by Team Hopes base and eventually find herself in town.

"Yup!" She assured confidently and nodded as she took the path.

' _Don't worry Gengar, I won't tell them who you are… but you'll have to face them eventually.'_ She shook her head and reminded herself he couldn't hear her anymore, she was her own Pokémon again with her own mind her own private thoughts. She could enact her own ideas and actually make a difference again. ' _I can make new friends!_ ' She thought with glee.

She heard a strange sound and stopped to look behind her. The noise stopped and she didn't see anyone or anything.

"Hello? Is someone there?" After there was no answer she looked around for a while longer. She shrugged it off and continued. The instant she moved though she heard it again. Some kind of dragging sound that stopped the instant she did. She tested with a swift movement forward and felt something below. She looked down and her face scrunched up when she found the problem; she was starting to literally drag along through the dirt.

"What the-?" She lifted higher into the air, "Weird… guess I still have some getting used to…" She kept going down the road. She heard the sound again soon after and huffed in annoyance, lifting higher into the air once more. Upon a third time hearing the sound she lifted herself far off the ground and looked down at it in annoyance. She noticed dirt on her kimono dress bottom and swiped at it, trying to dust herself off. She nodded roughly and went on, she soon noticed herself losing altitude. She tried lifting higher again but it wasn't working this time.

"Wh-" She landed on the ground with a soft thud, "Oof." She stared down at herself in shock and her mouth agape. She tried to lift off again but only managed a slight lift and fell back down.

"I… I can't just go dragging myself around like this…" She looked around herself in a panic, "H-hello! Is anyone there?" No reply and no one in sight. One hand was propping her up and the other was clutched over her chest.

"Hello? Someone? Anyone?! I can't move!" She waited for a reply, still nothing. Before she made to call out again she realized something…

"That's right everyone's in town… Who knows how long they'll be there! I could be stuck here for hours!" She forced herself into the air with a great burst of energy and rushed forward, trying to get to town before falling again. But she soon fell with a thud, face in the dirt.

She lifted her head and started to feel dizzy. She lifted the rest of her body up with her arms and dragged herself to the side of the road. She at least wanted to get off the dirt and onto the grass nearby. She held her head in her hands and tried to think of something. She tried lifting once again but this time nothing happened at all, now she really started to panic.

With only one eye opened through her growing head ache she saw the silver tailed mailbox of Team hopes base down the road. She tested to see if she could float far enough to get to it but still nothing, so she began to drag herself there. She didn't think anyone would be in there but it was better than lying on the side of the road. But it seemed so far away.

She shook her head and kept going.

"It's just been a while, a good rest and I'll be in the air and on my way to town in no time." She told herself, trying to believe in her own words. Every now and then she shook her hands to get the little pebbles off them.

"This doesn't hurt at all, nope. Would totally not be embarrassed if anyone saw me dragging myself along nuh uh." She grumbled under her breathed, frustrated by her own lack of control of the situation. She felt victorious reaching the stepping stone pathway of the base.

She stopped moving when she heard something coming from the base; she listened hard for anymore sounds…

*sniffle*

' _Wha? Is someone crying in there?_ ' She dragged herself to the doorway and glanced in. Hiding half of her face she held herself up with one hand on the doorway the other firmly on the ground steadying her. She didn't see anyone right away.

Something in her peripheral vision moved so she looked over.

' _P-pika? Wasn't he at town… I don't remember if I saw or heard him. Damn the limitations of only seeing, hearing, and noticing what Gengar did._ ' She shook her head, ' _But this is great… I mean he's crying… but at least he's here! He can help me! He's in a rescue team and I could really use some rescuing._ '

"H-hello?" She called not meaning for her voice to be so small and unsure.

He flinched and hopped to his feet whirling around.

"Wh- who's there!?" He wiped away his tears hastily not wanting anyone to see them anymore than they already have, "Sh- show yourself!"

"Down here, in the doorway." She called to him, her face still half hidden. She barely moved out from cover slightly, "I- I'm sorry, I didn't realize anyone was home. I thought everyone was in town and wanted to rest here…" She explained, shifting around nervously.

"Rest in a random home?" Pika's head tilted and his eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Why would you do that?"

She sighed and dragged herself forward. "I stopped floating. I'm not entirely sure why…" She looked down, "I thought if I got some rest I'd be able to float again."

"What? Stopped floating?" He rushed to her side, "Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't know… maybe if I had an Oran berry and some rest? I'm really sorry to bother you…"

"It's not a bother, I'm-" He hesitated for only a moment, "I'm part of a rescue team and this is our base." He gestured around them.

"I don't have anything I could pay you with…" She looked down guiltily.

"That's not important. If anything that's how we started." He looked off in thought for a moment, "Just helping you is enough." He lifted her up off the ground in one swift motion and she felt light headed. He noticed her wince, "O-oh! Sorry if I lifted you too fast!"

"No it's fine. I should just feel lucky that someone found me so soon. I thought I was going to be stuck for HOURS." She giggled at his flusters, "Really, other than my sudden lack of movement I'm fine. I just need to recoup my energy and I'll be outta your fur in no time." She winked at him playfully and he looked relieved.

"… Hey I'm curious why AREN'T you in town with the others?" She asked after he set her on what she knew as Sora's bed.

"I was on my way there when I decided to stop here and have some time to think on my own."

"To have your thoughts to yourself is nice isn't it?" She said longingly and he gave her a sideways look.

"Oh, uhm, did I say that out loud? Uh hehehe?" She asked, he nodded and she looked away, "Let's just say I haven't had my thoughts to myself for a long time."

"Oh… I haven't ever seen you around before. Who are you?" She knew this would come eventually.

"OH! Right!" She cleared her throat, clearly excited to introduce herself, "My name is Mint and it's nice to finally meet you Pika!"

"Huh? Finally meet me?" He sat down in front of her, curious, "What do you mean 'finally'? And how do you know my name?"

"Well yeah I've always been here and there, just couldn't really talk to anyone before today! I'm sosososo," She started bouncing in a way that reminded Pika of Sora, "Excited to meet everyone. I've got a LOT to say!" She huffed slightly and crossed her arms, "Not all of it is pleasant."

"Why haven't you said anything then?"

"I wasn't able to… and I'd rather not get into the reasons why for now. I need to go speak to Alakazam in private about a few things…" She didn't want to start her newly found friendship with lies, "You know how Sora had Velcro as a partner? And Gavin had Gardevoir?" She poked her fingers together excitedly.

"How do you know those… No way, you're…?" He leaned back, wide eyed as he realized where she was going with this.

"His partner! YUPYUP!"

"What are the chances…?" He shook his head in disbelief.

"Chances of what exactly?!" She hopped in place, "Of us meeting general? Of me dragging myself into this base right when you just so happen to be here? Of me being a Froslass?"

"Whoa whoa, calm down. What are the chances of you being connected to this whole curse situation we're dealing with?"

"Oh, slim to none, but here I am against those odds~! Or did you want percentages? Cause I'd put it at aboouuuuut…" She put her finger on her bottom lip in thought, "1.13%?" She held her finger up as she spoke.

"Where'd you get that oddly specific number?"

"I guesstimated it!" She snapped her fingers as if she'd done something amazing and he face planted.

"Are you ALL like this? I swear if Alakazam acts like this upon somehow regaining his memories I…. I won't be able to handle it." He held his head in his hands.

"No, not all of us. Alex was more like the sane one getting bombarded with all the crazy, like you!"

"That's a relief." He shook his head.

"I'm sorry to impose but I'd like to try to rest now."

"Oh! Right, I'll leave you alone and go get you an Oran."

"Thank you, Pika. I really thought I'd be dealing with this alone."

"It's no problem," He laughed sheepishly while he rubbed the back of his head, "I'm glad I could help! It's my job as… as temporary leader of a rescue team."

"You're that sure you'll get the curse lifted?" Mint asked as she tilted her head.

"No… but it would be backwards to be part of team Hope just to turn around and not have any myself right?"

"Yeah," She laughed, "That makes sense." As her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep her last thoughts cause her to smile. ' _It's nice to close my own eyes… to really sleep._ ' It wasn't long before she was in a dream.

"Well that was fast, couldn't wait to contact me once you sensed my presence could you, Gardevoir?" She mused looking around in her dream, an aura of light icy blue color shifting around her, "Sorry about my lateness I hit a few little…. Snags." Mint blushed.

"It's alright," Gardevoir smiled at her, "It's been too long since we last got to speak but now's not the time for catching up I'm afraid." Her smiled turned sad, "We know about their meeting, I've been listening in and relaying it to Sky."

"Yes, well, I can't say I'm too thrilled about the situation we're in now either. But it could have turned out much worse." Mint shrugged and chuckled nervously.

"We're coming up with a new plan."

"Oh? The last one may have saved the world but it didn't exactly go the way we'd hoped."

"Yes, we know but there's not much we can do given our current state… you can do something, make an impact." Gardevoir lifted her hand palm up to Mint, "You've done so much for us I know but please, Mint… we need your help still. Maybe not to save the world, but to salvage the mess made in the aftermath." Mint regarded her for only a short moment before laughing lightly and nodded.

"I'll help if you promise to give me an energy boost. If we're going to do this we'd better get to it, the sooner the better." She took Gardevoirs hand and smiled. Gardevoir looked at her for a moment before nodding her head taking mints hands in hers and a glow enveloped their hands, "Thanks I needed that, I feel better already~!"

"You're sure that was enough?" She inquired, "I can always spare more." Her voice sounded further away.

"I'm sure it's fine now actually~ I'll eat an Oran when I wake up for good measure! So, what's the plan then?" She asked.

"Don't let them find him." Gardevoir told her, dire.

"Wh-what? I thought it'd be the exact opposite of that… like 'Take them to him and lift the curse' to just get it over with ya' know?"

"His lifting the curse can't be influenced negatively or else the curse might never be lifted. We've had over 700 years to learn the ins and outs of our affliction. If they try anything along the lines of forcing it or worse beating it out of him, it could close off his heart and he'll never be able to lift it."

"…*sigh* alright, I'll do my best. I wonder though… do you guys know who he is yet yourselves?"

"No, we do not, that information is yours and his alone… We'd honestly prefer to be surprised."

"So you're sure you don't want me to tell you?" She waggled her brow ridges temptingly, "C'mon I can sense it in you, you want to know."

"Of course I want to know, but Sky and I agreed to leave it be unless we feel like the situations gotten to a point where it's necessary for us to know. Besides the less that know the less likely others will find out."

"Tch How would they get the info from you two?"

"You say that like psychics don't exist. They've two in their midst, both of which can and will use their abilities to root out all information they can, as far as we're aware that is. Take your gem back to Xatu as soon as you are able for him to recharge it. You'll need it to keep your minds defenses sharp and at the ready without seeming suspicious."

"Well, can't argue with that I guess," Mint shrugged, "You're the expert, being psychic yourself and all that jazz." Mint seemed to perk up, "Speaking of music~"

"Please not now, I still have Sky to return to."

"Pffft hahaha~! Is she still singing the song that never ends?!" Mint doubled over at the pained look on Gardevoirs face, "You're kidding me? Hasn't she gotten sick of it by now?" Gardevoir went to speak but a sudden third voice from way off in the distance yelled at them.

"YES I AM!" And the dreaded song could be heard so softly but clearly it was maddening.

"Wake me up…" Mint shuddered, "Just wake me up."

"Shouldn't you rest more?" Gardevoir tried but failed to sound concerned as a snort could be heard.

"GET ME OUTTA HERE~!" She yelled and woke up all at once, "WHEW that was a close one any longer and I would have joined in the song…"

"Ooow…" Pika was on the floor rubbing the back of his head, legs up on the chair.

"Pika? What are you doing on the floor like that?" Mint floated over and helped him up.

"Oh nothing just some exercises!" He stood up quickly and laughed looking at her in the air, "H-hey, you're floating!" He pointed at her.

"I am?" She looked down, "OH! I AM! I'm so glad I rested here thank you thank you for letting me stay here!"

"I already said it's no problem," He jumped slightly as he remembered something, "Oh! I got this ready for you," He picked an Oran berry up off the table and held it out to her, "Even though you're floating again I still think it's a good idea to eat it." She took it from him silently and looked at it, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Ah! Is something wrong?!" Pika freaked out and she shook her head wordlessly.

' _I didn't realize how much I'd miss being able to eat food…_ ' She brought the Oran berry to her mouth and took a carefully thought out bite. It was like an explosion of flavor she'd never experienced before. Each crunch of the flavorful juicy berry made her tears intensify to extreme proportions. Pika's eyes were twitching during all this but she didn't care as she nomed more and more.

"NOMNOMNOM," She was practically growling the noms now, "THIS IS SOOOO TASTYYYY WAAAAAAAH~!" She swallowed, "I've never had anything so delicious in all my liiiiiiiiiiife~!" She took another bite and the noming continued more ferocious than before, they became high pitched nom squee's! The tears wouldn't stop and Pika felt like he'd drown if this kept going so he ran out the door for dear life. She finished the berry and with her hands squishing her own face she lifted high into the air, tears spilling everywhere.

"SQUEEEEEEE~! I'm so happy I could… I could just SING~!" Pika had just peeked in to see if it was safe after the squee had ended and heard her.

"Wait WHAT?!" He tripped over himself and landed face first with an Oof! She whooshed over his head and out the door, an icy breeze followed behind her causing him to shiver. Pika hopped up and ran out after her just in time to see her blowing cold air all around her as she spun beautifully. "Wha- what are you doing?" He asked as he watched her spinning, she stopped and looked over at him blinking.

"Oh Getting ready."

"For what?"

"To sing!"

"You need to get ready to do that?"

"Well no, but if I'm going to sing I must do it right! Or else why bother at all?" She waved her hand around at what she'd done and he looked closely and suddenly was in awe. Ice sculptures of tiny Oran berries dangling from the nearby trees all around her at varying lengths of icy string. What he had expected something like what Sora would do, something whacky, crazy, hilarious. What he got was something he had never experienced before in this life. She cleared her throat shaking him out of his thoughts as he watched.

"Thousands of Oran berries dwindling in the light~," She flew amongst the berries using the move safeguard to create light effects that reflected from berry to berry making them all shimmer, the ones nearest her in the center glowing the most intensely, "Though I can't hear your voice, keep what I say in mind-" She spun gracefully in the air and used blizzard making the shining berries spin and sound like glass wind chimes in the dead of winter, "This blizzard that surrounds is freezing berries, see, Leaping down to us from that Ominous wind~" She sent a ghostly wind out and turned the area dark and the ice berries turned a dark purple, absorbing the energy. Her eyes matched them as she took a higher position.

"Thousands of Oran berries dwindling in the light~! Once your song can be heard, we'll dance with all our might," She raised her arms and placed them on the sides of her head, sending forth another more powerful blizzard, "This blizzard that surrounds is freezing berries, see. Go ahead, keep shooting, with this Will-O-Wisp~!" She shot out a will-o-wisp, the purple flames engulfing and spreading over the icy berries, the melting ice dousing the flames and becoming a purple blue mist. Another safe guard as she backed into the trees giving an illusion of her disappearing into a 'moon' where there was none. Pika was too distracted by the mist to notice her until it was too late.

"What'd'ya think!?" She asked from right next to him causing him to jump.

"I-I! I thought it was uhmn, great! But please don't sneak up on me like that."

"Huh? I didn't feel like I was sneaking…" She looked down at her finger, which was pointing at her chin, curiously.

"O-oh. Sorry you just startled me is all," He looked at the already dissipating purple mist, "I've never seen anything like that before, what was it?" He looked at her in wonder.

"You've never seen a performance before?" She balked, "That's… so sad, I live for this. It's what I do, or at least what I used to do, I've never been much for fighting." She waved her hand lazily.

"Performance? That's what it's called? I think I saw Sora kind of do one once now that I really think about it…" She went to ask about it but he continued, "But now's not the time, I'm glad your rest was short because we need to go to town ASAP. Absol stopped by while you were sleeping and when I told him who you were he seemed anxious. He said he was going to bring you up at the meeting."

"Really? I can't think why… If anything I'm the one who gets to be anxious that they're going to know I'm coming and they're probably waiting for me to arrive as we speak… And then there's Velcro," She looked down at the ground.

"Yeah, and we'd better get going. Who knows what they're theorizing about what information you could have." He started down the path when he didn't notice her following he looked back and smiled, "C'mon, I'm sure it'll be fine." She hesitated for a moment, and then nodded smiling back at him.

She bobbed her head to an unheard tune as they went down the road, her kimono swaying left and right. It wasn't long until town came into sight; it was odd for her, seeing it with her own eyes. She was able to turn her head to look all around, she wanted to explore and look at it all. She wished she was just here to finally make friends with at least some of the other Pokémon in town. Mint finally looked at the crowd they were approaching and gulped when she saw that they were all waiting for her. She scanned the crowd for the one face she knew but couldn't find him anywhere. Everyone gave her strange looks as she flew up higher to get a better look.

"I don't understand… I know about Velcro unfreezing and coming to town... Shouldn't he be here?" She fretted, ' _I'm pretty sure I saw him here when Gengar was here just earlier, didn't I?_ '

"He left after I said you were on the way." Absol explained, "Said he 'Didn't want to deal with this right now.' And 'I'm going to actually go looking for Gavin instead of standing around uselessly.' It would seem his patience has run thin with us already. Good luck getting him to work with us without Sora around." He scoffed.

"Oh…"Her face fell as she lowered herself nearer to the ground, ' _He must still be mad at me… I guess it has been a lot less than 700 years for him though, having been frozen for most of it._ ' Alakazam cleared his throat to get everyone's attention and she looked up at him.

"This unexpected turn of events," He gestured towards Mint, "Has brought us another lead to finding out how to lift the curse."

"I'll say!" Shiftry added, "Things are looking up for us! We'll find this guy and have the curse lifted in no time at this rate! Talk about luck!" His team laughed, no one noticing as Mint gulped.

' _uh oh, They've got it in their heads that I can help them. Not that I blame them, I really wish I'd known about Sky's newest scheme BEFORE meeting Pika. I wouldn't have told him who I really was…_ ' She groaned gaining the attention of the crowd quickly.

"Is there something wrong?" Alakazam began, "You can help us can't you? You know of the curse?"

"Y-yes I know about it, I was there after all." She couldn't bring herself to lie outright to him, memories or no this was still Alex she was talking to.

"And you can help us lift it?" He reiterated his first question.

"Th-that depends, anything I could tell you Velcro could have already told you~. Eheheh." She scratched her cheek sheepishly, ' _This isn't right, social interaction is second nature to me! Calm down Mint you're… you're just a little rusty is all, having only one person to talk to for a few years can do that. Just gotta stay calm and think. They want the curse lifted and will take advantage of every little lead they sniff out. Especially a big catch like you. I… I need to send them on a wild goose chase. Yeah that's it! A false lead to keep them off Gengars trail. But that's easier said than done, they're not stupid…_ ' She was brought from her thoughts.

"It's better to listen to the same information twice than to never hear new information. Even if you somehow repeat him word for word it will have been well worth the effort." Alakazam advised. All she could do in reply was nodded in agreement.

' _Okay okay, you're really on the spot now, think of something quick!_ ' She told herself.

"Hey Mint?" Pika spoke up and nearly startled her, "Didn't you say something about wanting to speak with Alakazam privately?" She looked at him in a daze, trying to remember what he was talking about when it hit her.

"I DID say that didn't I? It must have slipped my mind…" She looked at Alakazam who considered the request for a moment before nodding and gesturing for her to follow. She had to keep herself from squeeing in excitement. They went south, towards the beach. Once they had enough distance from town he turned to face her.

"What was it you wanted to speak to me about?" He wondered.

"I wanted to ask if I could…" Her voice ended in a low murmur that he couldn't understand.

"If you could?" He gestured or her to continue.

"…Well I know it's weird because you don't remember me but I remember you and I just-" She flustered, arms waving left and right in sync.

"Mint." He said calmly but firmly.

"Y-yes?" She squeaked.

"I didn't hear what you asked." He told her.

"OH!" She blushed out of embarrassment, "I- I asked If… If I could stay with you?" He blinked rapidly, bewildered by her request.

"In my home?" Alakazam asked and she nodded her head vigorously, a huge smile on her face. ' _I know it's risky. But I told myself once I got out and was my own Pokémon again I'd do this. It's all I've ever wanted was to be with my partner again. I've waited 700 years for him to be reborn and I just can't help it. They won't be happy with me once they find out but no one's stopping me from exercising my free will ever again._ '

"I'm not sure that would be wise." He muttered.

"Oh please? You won't even know I'm there." She assured, "I've waited so long to reunite with you and I know you don't remember me but we can be friends again, new friends!" She pleaded with her tiny hands clasped together in front of her chin. Her eyes shining like the untouched snow covered trees of frosty forest. He considered her for a moment, face not betraying whether her puppy eyes were affecting him at all.

"Do you have nowhere else to go? Where have you been staying?" He asked causing her to freeze up, unsure of how to answer. She mumbled and muttered, looking at the ground, wringing her hands together tightly. ' _What can I even say to that? 'I've been staying in a Gengars head but vacated the premises recently?'! I wasn't expecting this, why wasn't I expecting this?! I should have expected this!_ ' She felt about ready to hit herself in frustration.

"I-I haven't really been staying anywhere, just here and there. I've been like… a little fly on the wall making sure the plan ran smoothly. Now that it's over and the world is saved it's like… I have my life back." She told him as she twiddled her thumbs, looking up at him when she finished.

He crossed his arms and closed his eyes in deep thought, mulling it over. Her face grew hopeful as she waited, ' _He's thinking about it! Oh please say yes, please say yes, please say yes._ ' She bobbed up and down in excitement waiting for an answer.

"I don't see why we can't at least let you stay with us for the time being if you have nowhere else to go but I'll need to discuss it with my team." Alakazam explained, "I'll get back to you with an answer as soon as we've deliberated. Is that all you wanted to speak with me privately about, Mint?" She blinked at him for a moment her smile lessening.

"No… that was it." She folded her hands in front of her, trying to not sound disappointed, ' _It's wasn't a 'No' so there's no reason to be upset…. But it wasn't a yes either._ ' She tried to console herself.

"Well if that's all then let us head back and continue the meeting. I hope you bring with you answers to our dilemma." He commented as he began heading back up to town. She floated there watching him for a moment then he glanced over his shoulder at her curiously, "Are you coming, Mint? Is something wrong?" He asked sounding slightly worried.

"…It's," ' _This is my chance to lead them astray! I hate to do this but a plan is a plan, not to mention a PAIN._ ' "It's just that I've been looking for Gavin to get him to lift the curse myself for so long… I've had no luck in 700 years." She looked at him, her eyes becoming questioning slits, "What makes you think you can find him now when I've been trying and failing for so long?" She crossed her arms and looked away.

"Because we're not alone," Surprise rushed across her face and she looked at him, "If we work together we'll have a better chance of finding him than you did on your own."

"That's so… cliché?" She muttered arms uncrossing as she eyed him and tilted her head.

"True that may be. But I really believe that a combined effort will make all the difference." He chuckled while shaking his head. He turned to head back to town once more only to be met with an excited Lombre. ' _…Your own influence on them will be the death of me and this plan Sky… I swear._ '

"You guys need to come back quick and hear this! Absol remembered something Ninetails said that was oddly specific about the prophecy that could narrow down the search!" He quickly ran back to town, expecting them to follow. Alakazam took a moment to look back at Mint, eyes swirling with triumph before following Lombre.

She floated there in silence, ' _What? He remembered something? Well whatever he remembered can't be good for me. I need to hear this and find some way to mess it up…. If that's even possible._ ' She glided up to town, kimono waving in the air as she rushed forward.

Once she reached the crowd that now surrounded Absol she took a place in between Alakazams team and Pika. They were to her left and right respectively.

"We're all here now, save Velcro, so go on Absol. What is it that you've remembered about the prophecy that could help us find Gavin?" Shiftry asked, unable to handle waiting any longer.

"Ninetails said, specifically, that the cursed human would be in his 'third cycle' when the calamities struck. So it stands to reason that it must mean a third evolution!" Absol assured, "Which means any Pokémon that either doesn't have or was not in their third evolutionary state during the start calamities could not possibly BE the one we're looking for!"

"Yes, that makes sense!" Shiftry called out, "You heard'em! We've got us an honest to goodness lead!" Everyone cheered except Mint who was silently staring. On the inside she was in a panic, ' _He's right that part of the prophecy WAS talking about third evolution! I can't let this go on… but how?! What else could a third cycle be! C'mon think think!_ '

"I would also like to point out that so far our Gender's do match up with our human selves'. I find it unlikely that he's the only one that would not." Alakazam noted, "So that's something to consider as well."

Mint had to keep herself from glaring at him and twitched as a result, ' _Damn it! Another good point! He's right they're good, TOO good. How will I stop them? How COULD I stop them?_ ' She looked around as if she could get some kind of inspiration from the crowd or her surroundings. All she found was something that made her already icy blood run cold.

Ekans and Medicham looked worried, pale almost. They became as white as her once they noticed her looking at them. ' _?! Do they already suspect Gengar!? Whatever they know about Gavin must already be leading them to their own conclusions… conclusions that no one else has thankfully caught onto I don't think… Not only do I have to toss a wrench into their plan I have to keep an eye on those two, great just what I needed. I need a wrench to toss in… What else could a third cycle be… They were reborn and then…. I got it!'_

"Wait, don't eggs count?" She suggested, her finger in the air.

"Eggs?" Charizard gave her side-ways glance.

"Yeah, what do you mean eggs?" Tyranitar asked his smirk disappearing.

"Well the first cycle of every Pokémon's life starts with an egg, doesn't it? So it could actually be a Pokémon in their SECOND stage of evolution." She quipped, ' _I hope they buy it…_ '

"Mint, I'm not so sure. Even when one is in an egg they are considered to be in their first evolutionary form, thus it's still their first form nonetheless." Alakazam pointed out and she deflated.

"I was only trying to help…" She lied, looking down.

"I think she makes a good point." Medicham began, shocking Mint, "If Ninetails had meant third evolution specifically wouldn't she have said that instead of using a word like cycle? It must mean life cycles rather than evolutions." Having their two psychics at odds seemed to plant the seed of doubt. Mint blinked rapidly, bewildered, at Ekans and Medicham who ignored her in fear of being caught.

' _Those two… They CLEARLY have the most evidence out of everyone to suspect Gengar… and the third cycle explanation must have sealed the deal for them I'm sure of it. So why would they?_ ' That's when it hit her upside the head like a kilogram of feathers, ' _They don't want him getting found out either! Of course that's it, how could I be so blind? Oh joy is me! Whether they realize it or not I've got back up!_ ' She nearly did a jig but held back.

She looked over at Alakazam to say something but instantly forgot what it was as she saw a darkness pass over his vision as he glared at Medicham. It was only there for a moment so brief she nearly thought she'd imagined it. She looked back at Medicham who also wore a dark look of satisfaction. A well hidden and quick sneer didn't escape Mints eyes. ' _What's this? Some sort of drama llama? Oh I wish I knew what they were thinking! Does Alakazam suspect that Medicham knows something? Are they bitter rivals and I just never noticed it though Gengar's perspective?_ '

"Well look at it this way," Mint chirped trying to get everyone's attention, "Narrowing the search is narrowing the search and we can at least guarantee it's not a Pokémon in their first evolutionary form. I also agree that they must be a guy~!" She looked around at the nodding heads. ' _I can't make myself too obvious as trying to hinder them or they'll become suspicious of me._ ' She looked over at Ekans and Medicham in the corner of her eye, ' _Thanks you two~!_ 'She could have sworn Medichams eyes flashed over to her but she shrugged it off as a trick of the light.

"She's right, either way we're a step closer to finding this guy." Shiftry sounded a little less enthused than before, "And with all this recent luck we shouldn't be too worried!" He added regaining his previous bravado, his leafy fans fluttering in the wind.

"The real question is how does one even BEGIN to search for someone when you have no idea what they look like? Most of you don't even know what he sounds like! And if my own efforts are anything to look at he might not WANT to be found and could be in hiding." Mint observed.

"…Why don't we ask Ninetails?" Tyranitar suggested, "She's the one who cast the curse and made the prophecy. There's a good chance she can point us in the right direction." Mint once again found herself in a dilemma, ' _That- I - wha? There's no way I can wrench THIS up…_ '

"Yes that's a great idea of where to start, where the curse originated and the following prophecy foretold." Alakazam agreed with his teammate.

"Maybe that Medallion Absol mentioned could be of some use to us. We might not be able to use it ourselves, but there's a chance it could react in the presence of the one who CAN." Charizard suggested nodding, determination set in his eyes. ' _I'm not even sure if that's right but again these guys are way too good for MY own good!_ ' She bit the side of her mouth to keep from groaning in annoyance, ' _At this rate the best I could do is stall them and hope he wakes up, pulls himself together, and gets straight to lifting the curse… But even THEN he needs that medallion to do it! This isn't going well at all… Sorry Gardevoir… Sky… I'm trying I really am. Maybe… Maybe it would better to come clean and tell them the truth? No. The moment I say 'It's Gengar' They'll explode and stop listening and go for the jugular. Maybe if I'm lucky Ninetails is in on the plan and will…. Oh who am I kidding when she casted that curse it was MEANT for him… why would she help him?_ ' she fell into despair, trying to think of a way out but nothing came to mind.

"Who will go ask her though? I don't see the point in ALL of us going to ask." Shiftry asked.

"Yes, well considering all that's happened recently. The star, Groudon and the harsh journey through the wilds just before the quakes began. We should all take a day of rest then decide who will make the journey once more." Mama Kangaskhan spoke up, "My statues have been used nearly to their limit and I don't want anyone to risk getting injured. They need time to recharge, so only item storing for now."

"That's unfortunate but we can make the trek." Alakazam assured, "We did it once and we can do it again."

"After a couple goods nights rest that is." Tyranitar added.

"Yeah my wings still don't want to work right since that Groudon swatted me out of the air with a well-placed ancient power right smack between my shoulder blades." Charizard rolled his shoulders, the memory of the attack making them sore. Everyone, more or less happy with how the meeting went, decided to get back to their daily lives and wait for the A team to rest up and head out. Mint soon found herself alone in the center of town, unsure of what to do. She sighed and began to float away towards the bridge leading out of town when she heard someone call her name. She turned around; it was Charizard, his team standing with him.

"Alakazam says you wanted to stay with us?" He asked, she nodded then looked sad.

"I understand if you don't-"

"It's fine by us actually!" He interrupted, "We talked it over and any friend of Sora's is a friend of ours, you're welcome to stay with us as long as you want!" Her eyes lit up as he was about to keep going when she-

"SQUEEEEEEEEE~ oh thank you thank you thank yooou~!" She hugged him around the neck and he chuckled nervously. Team ACT realized then that they were biting off more than they could chew.

* * *

Big shout out to my nieces who suggested the used song~! ALL THE LUV FOR THEM~!

I hope you guys enjoyed this~ ^o^


	4. No stone left unturn'ded

SPEEEEEEEEEEEN~!

It's here peeps awe yee, one little detail i couldn't decide on has been decided on finally for this one, and remember, stay inside and stay safe and healthy! ^0^

* * *

Annoyed eyes glared into the town as everyone left. Mint was giddily laughing and hugging a now nervous Charizard as his Teammates guffawed or chuckled. No one had even noticed that a certain someone had never really left. Standing leaned up against a tree with his arms crossed near the bridge leading out of town was Velcro, hiding in the shade.

"So much for staying with Team A.C.T." Velcro scoffed lowly, overhearing everything. He lifted off the tree with a push of his legs, never uncrossing his arms. Leaving town he made himself as unnoticeable as possible, not wanting them to know he'd been eavesdropping. "Good thing I stuck around, they had some good leads after all, I'll be the one following them though."

He kicked at the dirt with a grunt, flinging tiny rocks and dust around without stopping. His face scrunched up as he glared at nothing in particular. He halted abruptly and looked down at his feet, glare intensifying. Time ticked by until the countdown ended and the bomb went off. He grabbed the sides of his head and let loose a cry of frustration. He brought his hands away and looked down at them as they formed fists and he went on yelling.

"After all these years Mint just shows up…. OUT OF THE BLUE?!" He shouted, "I'll show her, I'll show them all! I'll find him and he'll lift the curse. The four of us will show up to town all 'sup, where you guys been? Twiddling your thumbs eh? Cool cool cool. Oh me? Well I've just been GETTING THINGS DONE!'" He snapped his fingers. He then licked his finger and poked his side, making a sizzling noise. "Don't you worry this burn don't need a rawst berry. Too bad we can't say the same for yours!" He snapped his fingers again.

"Ninetails get ready for a visitor." He smirked lowly as he took off down the dirt road, not intending to return empty handed.

Back in town Mint shuddered and looked over shoulder, Alakazam noticed this.

"Is something amiss?" He asked, his teammates attention turned to her now as well.

"No, it's nothing, just been a while since I've gotten to speak with anyone is all." She smiled and waved it off, ' _At least I hope that's all it is…_ ' She thought and looked at the sky for a moment before shaking her head and turning back to them, "So, where DO you guys live anyways?" Alakazam blinked at her and looked at his teammates who both shrugged.

"You've been watching this whole situation unfurl from the sidelines but don't know where our base is?" He asked as Charizard crossed his arms and Tyranitar followed suit, each of them looking suspiciously at her.

"Hey, making sure a plan goes well is not the same as being a stalker. I was where I needed to be, that's it." She glared slightly at them, hand on her chest looking offended, "It's not like I could follow everyone ALL the time after all."

"Hmm… I suppose that's understandable." Alakazam closed his eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, when I heard you'd been watching us the whole time this has been going down I really was worried about what you could have heard or seen." Charizard scratched the back of his head, chuckling nervously.

"Well you'll be happy to know it was business only. Though I've missed conversing with others and I'm sososo happy to be making friends again!" Mint felt something, a strange breeze, then a voice spoke to her in her mind.

' _Mint, you must bring your gem to me so I may charge it as soon as you are able. I can only help you from this distance for so long. I'm afraid one has already heard a small portion of your thoughts, but I am sure it was not Alakazam. I know his energy well from when we worked through the moons light to create the Teleport gem. I did not want to risk contacting you as I am now but the gems power wanes quickly after keeping you within the confines of another's mind for so long. Tonight you must come to the Hill of the Ancients without delay._ '

' _But how will I slip away unnoticed? Every little thing they know about what I'm doing or why could lead them to discover that I'm trying to stall them…_ '

' _I have no answer for you, but you must find out quickly, if the gems power fades to nothing it will become as such, nothing. As you recall it took months to make that stone on my own, it would take three to make a new one in one night and we do not have that option._ '

' _I know, I know, but I wasn't even EXPECTING a new plan I'm just kind of making this up as I go along here. Considering I spent I don't even know exactly how long in his head I'm not exactly the best at conversing with others right now. I'll… I'll need to wait until tonight when they're sleeping to slip away.'_

' _Good luck, we've been connected for too long now I must cut it off, until tonight.'_

' _Alright.'_ She thought just as the telepathic call ended.

"Mint?" Charizard waved his hand in front of her.

"Hmmm oh sorry just spacing out is all. What?" She giggled nervously feeling embarrassed and panicked.

"We were just saying to follows us to our place." Tyranitar crossed his arms.

"OH! Right! Yeah let's go." They all looked at each other and shrugged, walking on ahead only Alakazam shot her a suspicious look for only a moment before walking alongside his teammates. Mint only hesitated a moment before sighing lightly and following them.

' _According to Xatu someone heard SOMETHING I thought,_ ' She glanced at Alakazam worriedly, ' _But he's sure it wasn't Alakazam. It had to be Medicham then, all I can do is hope she didn't hear anything too incriminating… then again they seem to want to protect Gengar from the town as well so saying anything about me would be a danger to him… maybe... Hopefully. Because if not they might blow the whistle on me. UGH I hate that I'm banking EVERYTHING on hunches and basically closing my eyes and praying it works!_ ' She shook herself out of her thoughts and paid attention to the way they were going. Over the bridge and a right turn, they passed a small field and hill just barely north the towns' entrance.

"Well, here we are home sweet home." Tyranitar announced as they approached the dark wood colored base.

It had no door much like Team Hope's base but had a much larger entrance as tall as Tyranitar that had a wide arch with unlit lanterns on either side. Charizard quickly fixed that with a quick small whoosh of flames and a smirk.

From the outside the base seemed small but soon enough Mint found herself inside and saw that this was just the entrance. The actual base was down a short flight of stone stairs much like Gengars hidey place. The stairs here, though, were wider and better kept. After the stairs the base opened up into a large room that seemed to be set up for training of all sorts. Scorched marks littered one wall to the right near a door that could only be Charizard's room. Rocks were protruding around another. The last door had a matt that looked like it belonged in a dojo. Alakazam went over to the door way and beckoned Mint inside.

She looked over her shoulder at the others but they had already started towards their own rooms. Charizard turned before walking through and noticed her and waved as he yawned. Only now did she notice the heavy bags under his eyes. She looked back at Alakazam, who also looked exhausted. She didn't want to delay his rest anymore so she quickly and quietly followed him.

"Forgive us for the sudden silence, it has been a very long and taxing week. Usually I'd make up another bed but seeing as Velcro so vehemently wanted to avoid you earlier today I doubt he'll be coming back tonight. So you may use his temporary bed, if he does decide to ever come back I have plenty of extra bedding. One can never be too sure of what will happen after all, not even a psychic." He showed her to a hay bed on the left wall, across the room from his.

She glanced around the room as she floated over to him. The soft glow of the sunset was coming from above them through a small round window in the center of the ceiling. She looked up at it in awe before looking over to her side and seeing his work desk. She noticed a slot that she guessed all the mail was directly delivered to him through. It was just a simple wooden desk and chair. There was a small wooden incense holder that had ash marks on the right hand side.

"Mint, is something the matter?" Alakazam asked.

"Oh! No, nothing's wrong, just looking around." She replied.

"That's alright but the sooner we sleep the sooner we'll be able to recover."

"I know, sorry." She murmured, levitating over to the bed and settling herself down. She watched as he walked over to his own bed and got comfortable. She sat there waiting, he was tired sure, but that doesn't mean he fell asleep that quickly.

' _I need to know that he's deep in slumber… or there's no chance for me to get out unnoticed._ ' With her back leaned against the wall she took a relaxing breath as her mouth formed small smile. She wasn't even tired anyways, she felt wide awake. Even if she WERE caught it wouldn't be lie to say that she went out for a walk since she wasn't at all sleepy, right? She floated up from her bed silently, ' _At least I don't have to worry about tiptoeing, no toes, hehe. In fact I can just-_ ' she kept floating straight up and phased through the ceiling. She looked around; the sun was barely still in the now dark orange and red sky.

"Alright," She muttered, "Now to make my way to Xatu." She pulled out her pink gem, a short line of pink aura emanated from it pointing behind her to her left. She turned until it was pointed straight forward, acting like a compass, "Thank goodness it has energy enough to lead me to the Hill of the Ancients, all that time in Gengars head sure did make me lose my way around here…" She glided quickly along following the ethereal pink trail from her little jewel. She lifted high into the air as she followed, avoiding the roads.

She rushed as quickly as she could, she couldn't take any chances on anyone waking up and finding her gone, looking down at her Xatu radar every now and again. She saw a cliff in the distance the direction she was being lead and smiled, picking up speed. She stopped right at the cliff side and shot upwards along the rocky Cliffside wall. Slowing to a stop she found herself face to face with Xatu.

"KWAAAAAAAAAA!" He yelled causing her to yell back.

"Seriously?! Do you have to yell like that?!" She would have flung an icy flurry at him if she weren't in such a hurry.

"The gem." He said simply, holding out his wings. She blinked rapidly but handed it to him quickly. It floated out of his wings as he spread them out wide and a pink aura surrounded it. After a few moment Xatu spoke once more.

"Something is wrong." Xatu said glancing over at her for a moment before turning to face the gem.

"Oh no, is it too late to charge the gem," she panicked floating up to the gem and looked at it searching for any cracks, "Wait I don't see anything wrong with it…"

"Not the gem, it is you I'm referring to."

"Me?" She leaned back, pointing at her nose, "Wait… you don't mean when I stopped floating earlier today, do you? Because I fixed that with some rest and Gardevoir gave me some energy. I even ate an Oran berry." She murmured, looking off to the side.

"A temporary solution, unless something is done soon it will happen again. No amount of rest or berries can stop it, and Gardevoir only has so much energy to spare."

"Wha- Then what can I do? I can't risk falling down like that again." She looked up at the first few stars dotting the night sky.

"You must go recover your strength on the other-side it'll take a few days, but there's no avoiding it." Her eyes snapped to him.

"WHAT? A FEW DAYS?! I can't just up and disappear for a few days NOW! First this new plan of Sky's now this!? I REALLY wish you guys would tell me these things SOONER!" She seethed.

"Calm yourself Mint, it need not be all at once. At night when one would sleep will suffice."

"Oh… uhm, well that's a relief. Sorry I'm just really stressed about this whole situation. I've got another problem dumped on me as soon as I get out. Then I stop floating THEN I'm told it'll keep happening until I go recoup my ghostly energies. There's no telling if Gavin will go about lifting the curse right away after waking up…" She groaned, "I'm just not feeling very perky right now Xatu." She crossed her arms and stared at the moon. She remembered something and without looking away she asked, "Hey Xatu, what you said before, about someone hearing one of my thoughts. Is there any way to find out what they heard? Since I'm pretty sure we both agree it was Medicham at this point," They stood in silence for a moment before he answered.

"No, I'm afraid not, it was only for a fleeting moment. Alakazam is the greatest threat as of now but you need to tread carefully around Medicham as well. All we can do is surmise that she wants to keep them from finding out Gengar, but it's likely she wants the same answers as them as well. We have a fair idea of what Alakazam would do if he knew the truth, though it would be unwise to assume fully what he'd do. What she would do with the truth is nearly unknown to us and the unknown poses a great risk." She nodded as she listened to him.

"That makes sense." She murmured, floating there in silence for short while before realizing something.

"Xatu you were listening to their plan earlier today, yes?" She leaned hoping he'd be able to help with her current dilemma.

"Yes, I was." He stated simply.

"So you know that they're planning on speaking to Ninetails about the medallion?"

"I do."

"…Well?" She had hoped it was obvious where she was going.

"…"

"Xatu?"

"Yes?"

"Oh c'mon do I really have to say it?"

"Yes."

"UGH, you're so hard to deal with sometimes I swear." She grumbled, "*sigh*What do I do? What if the medallion CAN be used to find him?"

"It cannot."

"Wh-what? You're sure?"

"Yes, the medallion's sole purpose is to lift the curse now. Even its ability to split the curse has been lost."

"So their own idea of going to see Ninetails was a blessing in disguise for me, phew that's a relief. I was seriously worried there for a while. But now that I know it's yet another secret I have… to… keep… oh, THAT'S why you weren't answering at first. Oops."

"It would have been better that you didn't know, but it's a little late for regrets now, isn't it?" A glimmer in his eyes told her everything.

"Oh you little- you know what? Never mind. Is that gem nearly done yet or what?" She grumbled, arms crossed tightly.

"Not quite, I must be sure to charge it to its limit." He concentrated on the gem, intensifying the pink aura. Mint watched in awe, her mouth hanging slightly open, at the raw power he was pouring into the tiny gem. It began to vibrate, a humming sound emanating from it, growing in intensity as time passed. Xatu leaned slightly to the right but righted himself quickly. But Mint noticed and cast at him a look of worry.

"Xatu? Is something wrong?" She fretted, hovering next to him. He didn't answer her and kept his eyes fixed on the gem. The sound was getting unbearably high as she anxiously looked between him and the gem again and again. She saw him lose balance again and she rushed the gem, yanking it away and speeding a good distance from him. He righted himself again and looked at her.

"Mint, the ge-"Xatu began.

"No, Xatu. That's enough. I don't need to enter any minds with it this time so it doesn't need THAT much energy." She argued.

"You don't know that, my visions show paths that can lead to you needing-"

"Your 'visions' aren't guaranteed and you know it Xatu. There's no way I'm going into ANYONE'S mind again, PERIOD. I refuse to lose my freedom like that ever again."

"No matter how necessary it could be?" He asked.

"…Yes."

"... So be it." He turned and left, leaving her there alone.

She sighed and looked down at the little gem for a moment before placing it back in her Kimono. She went back the way she came keeping her eyes to ground looking for team ACT's base. It didn't take long before she saw it and went down to it. She went back down through the ceiling and settled into the tiny hay bed. She stalled for a moment and faded into the ghost world to recover as Xatu had told her. She fell into a comfortable sleep in the other world.

The next morning Ekans was sleeping comfortably in his own hay bed, coiled in content. It was all shattered as beams of light were suddenly released into his room. With an irritated hiss he coiled himself tighter, shoving his head down the center.

"C'mon Ekans, get up." Medichams said with foot tapping and arms crossed.

"It's too early to get uuup." He complained.

"I know, but there are lots to do and we need to figure out why that Froslass would want to help Gengar."

"How do we even know she tried to throw them off track because of Gengar? It could be someone else for all we know." He grumbled but peeked up at her, knowing it was too important to ignore.

"I know Gengar's energy well enough to sense it and for some odd reason hers felt EXACTLY like it. But it wasn't really _it_ , like a… a mask she was wearing is fading away. I just hope Alakazam didn't notice it…" she hugged herself and look away in concern.

"A… mask?" He finally lifted his head up to tilt it in question.

"Well I don't know how else to describe it." She leaned on the doorframe of his room deep in thought, she spoke up thinking out loud, "After hearing her think 'Thanks you two' I kept trying to listen for more but nothing… just white noise. It's almost as if she has… something blocking unwanted listeners. Something powerful, but there was a flaw in it. There had to be for me to have heard what I did." When she looked down at Ekans expectantly he sighed in defeat and slithered off his hay bed. She turned on her heel, hand on her chin, and walked out. Ekans close behind. Suddenly she stopped and he nearly bumped into her.

"Wh- Medicham? What's up?" He moved around her to look at her.

"Oh, nothing, I was just thinking it would be a good idea to get some food in town is all." She smirked mischievously.

"uh huh… What're you REALLY thinking?" He asked, giving her a sideways glance.

"Well if I go to town there's a chance I could 'accidently' bump into this 'Mint'." Her smirk grew as she spoke.

"You're not thinking of just outright asking her about it, are you?" Ekans tilted his head, thinking she had finally lost it.

"What? No. I mean literally BUMP into her, physical contact could help me read her mind, Ekans. DUH. I wouldn't risk us being wrong and her becoming suspicious of us and getting one step closer to making the connection to Gengar that we have. We STILL don't even know if we're right about that. I've already got Alakazam on our trail and that's bad enough."

"Yeah, you still haven't told me what happened with him exactly." He gave her a curious sideways glance.

"And I'm not going to, all you need to know is Alakazam is suspicious of our association with the curse. End of story, now stop asking." She growled.

"Aaaand it's your fault." He added.

She tripped over her own feet but caught herself and her eye twitched. She sighed in defeat and held her head in her hand, massaging her right temple, "Yes… But that doesn't mean I have to tell you what happened!" She looked away and crossed her arms again.

"Have it your way." He replied with a wave of his tail, not at all sounding like he was through with her. She rolled her eyes knowing that he'd be asking again sooner or later.

She walked to the door and with a wave back to him she walked out, not even giving him the opportunity to ask again. He shook his head and went over to the table by the widow, grabbing and eating a Chesto berry to help him wake up. Coiling up by the window he bathed in the filtered rays of the early morning sun. *Creak*

"Huh?" He looked around, "Back already Medicham?" He looked at the door, nothing happened. He shook his head and ignored it. *Creak*

"What the-?" He got up from his coiled position and looked out the window, looking for the source. There was an old tree leaning over, he watched it until finally. *Creak*

"Oh it's that old tree, Gengar will be glad to know it's finally falling over. He's been thinking about expanding… He hasn't even gotten started on the couch he decided to make out of that tree Velcro felled yet. Then again he might not feel up to it… It might be nice for him to busy himself though if he can be convinced to even start." He began to turn around when something caught his eye. Not too far from the tree. He looked again and squinted. There was someone there? He propped himself up in the window to get a closer look. *Creak*

"Uh oh…" He didn't have time to go through the door and flung himself out the window, landing on his face but quickly recovering, "H-HEY! MOVE!" He slithered as fast as he could towards the stranger, *CREAK* when he got closer he noticed that they were napping. "YOU'RE GONNA GET SMASHED WAKE UP!" He yelled once more but the mysterious Pokémon didn't even stir. *CREEEEEEAK* Ekans found himself rushing right at them, wrapping his tail around them and pulling them towards him and out of harms way, which finally caused them to jolt awake. *CREAAAAAAK CRASH*The tree fell right where he had been resting, narrowly missing his head as he had lifted it up to look at Ekans.

Ekans was just lying there with his eyes clutched shut while huffing and puffing upside down in the grass not even bothering to unwrap his tail off the stranger. The black and blue stranger looks at the tree then again at Ekans in amazement, his eyes widening out of his tiredness, realizing what had happened.

"You saved my life." Was all they could say, Ekans opened his eyes and looked up at them and realized something about them… He had never even seen this kind of Pokémon before.

"Wait? Who are you?" He couldn't help his curiosity, the stranger blinked for a moment.

"Who I am doesn't matter, what matters is that you saved my life." They went about untangling themselves from Ekans' Tail and helped him up onto his belly.

"But what's your name?" He questioned.

"How about you just call me Vin." Vin suggested as he dusted himself off.

"Just 'Vin'?" Ekans asked, not sounding fully convinced that was at all his real name and they nodded in reply.

"Hmmm," Vin looked off into the distance in thought, "You know, I have something I'd like to give you. As reward for saving me, it's very rare." He brought out a… rock?

"It's… a red rock? Shaped like a music note? It looks nice I suppose." Ekans looked at him sideways.

"Not just any old rock, it's a stone. A wish stone to be exact." Vin held it up with a flare.

"A wish stone," Now this little stone had Ekans' attention, "You mean it grants wishes?" He looked up at it in awe.

"Not the stone itself, if you take this stone to Jirachi the Wish maker they will grant you one wish." Vin held the stone out to Ekans who took it in his tail and stared at it.

"But, where's Jirachi?" He asked.

"Go to town and speak with the storage keeper, she'll point you in the right direction."

"Storage keeper… OH you mean mama Kangaskhan!"

"Mama? That seems like a title she'd get." He looked off into the distance nostalgically.

"Yeah, nearly everyone I know calls her that. Do you know her?"

"Yes, tell her you got this stone from Vin and she'll tell you how to get to Jirachi." He assured.

"Alright, I will." Ekans gushed in his excitement, turning away, he realized something and turned around to say something to Vin once more but they were gone. He looked around for any signs of them but there was nothing, "Weird guy…" He commented, shrugging, and took off for town in a hurry. ' _This is great!_ ' He thought, ' _With this we can just WISH the curse to be lifted! Medicham's going to be so relieved._ ' He didn't even notice as he rushed past Medicham who tried, after a moment of looking utterly baffled by his speed, to call after him. He entered town and made a beeline for Kangaskhan Storage, questioning looks followed him as he rushed by.

"M- Mama Kangaskhan!" He blurted.

"Ekans? Is something the matter? What is it dear?" She asked and waited for him to catch his breath. He brought up his tail holding the stone out to her in a coil of his tail.

"Wh-where is Jirachi the wish maker? A strange Pokémon gave me this stone. He said if I take it to Jirachi they'll grant me a wish!"

"What? Let me see that stone, dear." She held out her hand and he placed it there. She brought the stone up to her right eye, her left eye shutting as she examined it closely. Turning it over slowly it dawned on her that this was the real thing. "Oh my word…" she murmured softly.

"Well? It is a wish stone… right?"

"Yes, it's the real thing all right," She assured looking at him, "You said a strange Pokémon gave this to you, why?"

"Well he was about to get smashed by this tree and I pulled him out the way." Ekans told her while eyeing the stone, the excitement bubbles in his eyes.

"And he gave you this as a reward for saving him?" She asked and he nodded vigorously, "Did he happen to tell you who he was?"

"No, said to just call him 'Vin'. He told me to come see you, said he knew you, and then he disappeared. Who was he?" A flash seemed to pass in her eyes.

"He must have a good reason for not saying who he was; I think I'll keep his little secret." She winked and he huffed in annoyance.

"I don't think it was very smart of him to give you this though, Ekans." She admitted, "Jirachi lives on the southern island in wish cave. Getting to the island is hard enough but then the cave," She shook her head, "It's a 99 floor dungeon Ekans. I'm afraid it's too dangerous for you to go on your own."

"But I won't go on my own, Medicham will go with me!" He argued.

"Go with you where exactly?" Medicham chimed from around the corner approaching the stand.

"OH! Medicham, good timing, look," He pointed his tail at the stone Kangaskhan was still holding, "Mama Kangaskhan looked this over and everything, it's a real wish stone! We can use it to lift the curse!" He blurted in his excitement and Kangaskhan looked over at him.

"The curse? That's what you want to use your wish for?" She asked, her heart melting at his sweet gesture, "Oh Ekans that's wonderful, here." She handed him back the stone, "I'll see about calling in an old favor from a friend to get you to the island, but from there you two are on your own in getting to Jirachi."

"Whoa whoa, slow down, what island? What's all this about a wish stone. Jirachi? The wish granting Pokémon I've heard about in fairytales? Someone please explain what's going on." Medicham demanded, stamping her foot in annoyance.

"This is what's going on," Mama Kangaskhan reached over where Ekans was holding the stone and tapped it with her claw. "This is a REAL wish stone that, if taken to Jirachi, you get a single wish."

"So Jirachi really can grant wishes? Like in the stories?" Medicham asked, now also enamored by this stone.

"As I've heard, yes, though I've never been able to get all the way to the end myself. It's an extremely difficult dungeon. It has 99 floors and, the truly difficult part; it drains your strength completely. Making you feel as though you've never gained any experience." She explained to the psychic.

"Whoa that does sound dangerous…" Ekans muttered looking down at the stone in worry.

"Yeah," Medicham nodded in agreement, "Which is why you can't go." She crossed her arms and looked down at Ekans.

"Wh-what?! We need to go! This is our chance to fix this!" Ekans eyes widened as he glared at her in disbelief at throwing away what could be their only chance at fixing this whole mess.

"I know which is why I'm going, now give me the stone." She held her hand out at him and he clutched the stone to his chest, tail coiling around it tightly.

"No, you can't go alone! If you really don't want me to go then at least wait for Gengar to come home first." Ekans pleaded.

"I am going alone, there's no telling how long he'll be gone and the longer we wait the worse he'll get. Now hand me that stone Ekans! I'm not arguing with you!" She moved her hand closer to him expecting the stone. He looked up at Mama Kangaskhan for help and she sighed.

"I'm sorry Ekans but she has a point," She shook her head and he deflated, "I know it's hard but you're young and could get seriously injured in there, it's better to let her take care of it. Southern island isn't like mainland, the Pokémon there are much stronger." She turned to Medicham, "But I do wish you wouldn't go alone, are you sure you won't be able to wait for Gengar?"

"No, not after how he took off yesterday, he'll be who knows where for who knows how long. It's not like I can go find him, and even if I DID manage to find him he'd just go to that place ghost-types like him go when they want to be left alone where only other ghost-types can reach him!" Medicham ranted.

"Well how about you ask another team for help? I'm sure Team A.C.T. would be more than willing to-" Mama Kangaskhan tried to say.

"What?! No way would I ask them for help. I don't need them or anyone else for that matter. I can handle this island and cave perfectly fine on my own." She reached for the stone, Ekans pulled it away once more, and she glared at him. For a good solid minute they stayed like that, her gaze hardening until he finally relented and handed her the wish stone.

She turned to face Mama Kangaskhan, "I need to withdraw a few things but I don't have our team Toolbox with me. Ekans go back to our base and get it." He nodded and slithered off with his head down. While waiting for him to return Medicham brought the stone up to her eye and inspected it. ' _If I hadn't been told it was for wishes I would just ignore it as just some fancy looking rock.'_ She thought, turning it over in her hand.

"Medicham?" She looked away from the stone when she heard Ekans, "Are you sure about this? Going alone?" He looked up at her as he brought up his tail that was holding the toolbox by the strap.

"Yes, I am." She took the toolbox and tossed the strap over her shoulder to keep her hands free.

"B-but-" He protested.

"No, Ekans, someone needs to watch the house, who knows how long this will take. Gengar would freak if he came back and neither of us were there to fill him in. Tell him where I went and if he wants to yell at me for going alone he can come after me for all I care. Now go home, I won't have you trying to follow me there." He opened his mouth to argue but one look from her shut him up and he growled in frustration slithering off back home once again.

She turned to Mama Kangaskhan, "Alright how about 7 Orans, 5 pechas, 3 big apples and 4 reviver seeds? I'd also like my Stamina band." Medicham listed off, finger on her chin and eyes to the sky in thought. Mama Kangaskhan nodded and went to the back of her hut and brought out the requested items. Along with them she brought out a perfectly round stone with a dark blue and black engraving on it.

"What's this?" She looked at the curious item.

"This is how I'm calling in that favor I mentioned, show this to a Dewgong living in the ocean between the main-land and the island and tell them I sent you. They'll know what it means and won't ask questions aside from something along the lines of 'Where to?'."

"How the heck am I supposed to find them?" Medicham crossed her arms, annoyed.

"Walk into the water, about ankle deep, he'll find you." Mama Kangaskhan assured her, reaching over the counter and patting her shoulder, she gave her a worried look, "Are you sure you won't reconsider going alone?"

"*sigh* Yes I'm sure," She took a step back making Mama Kangaskhan's hand slide off, "Thanks for the directions and help though. I'll be fine."

"Yes, of course dear." She folded her hands and smiled sweetly as Medicham walked away, "I sure hope you will be…" She murmured, smile fading away to match the worried tone reflected in her voice.

Medicham walked across the warm sand as she arrived at the shore line and looked across the sparkling water. She inhaled and waited for a moment before exhaling. She stepped into the waves and waited, watching the water intensely. The water was breached several feet ahead of her and she blinked rapidly as a Dewgong caught an impressive ten feet of air.

"Hello there!" They yelled at the height of their jump, their tail waving from side to side in greeting. They fell back into the water with a kersploosh. Soon after their head resurfaced and they swam over until the water was shallow enough to lie down with his head still above the water.

"Hey I'm Medicham and I was told to show you this." Medicham didn't want to waste time and showed Dewgong the Medallion.

"OH You're a friend of MK's!" Dewgong slapped their flippers onto the sides the of his own face, "Wowie, it's been so long since I've spoken with her! I'd ask how she's doing but I'm sure she said I wouldn't ask any questions aside from where is it you need to go?" He asked.

"Wish Cave." Medicham put away the Medallion in her toolbox.

"… oh." They looked like they wanted to ask about it but didn't. "Well alrighty then, as much as I think you should have back up a favors a favor, hop on and I'll take you there." He turned his back to her and waited, she hesitated for a moment.

"Sorry, I've never done this before, I just get on?" She wondered.

"Yup! That's it and I'll take care of the rest!" He looked back at her over his shoulder and nodded while flashing her an encouraging smile, "You're safe with me! I've swam these waters since I was just a tiny Seel! That and today's a good sunny day!" He looked back out over the water.

She took a deep breath and sighed before finally getting on and making herself comfortable. Securing her Toolbox on her lap with the strap firmly around her shoulders she cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Oh? Are you ready to set off now Medicham?" He glanced back at her.

"Yeah," She nodded, "I'm rea-DYYY!" He shot off across the water, she had to lean forward and wrap her arms around his neck to keep from falling off.

"WOOOOOOO, let it be known that I am Dewgo, because I dooo go FAST!" He yelled, Medicham couldn't even find her voice to reply as her teeth were clenched shut.

She kept her eyes open and despite her shock at the speed they were going couldn't help but look out over the water rushing by them. She even chanced letting go with one of her hands to touch the water to feel it between her fingers. It was cold and she shivered, pulling her hand back up and set it on the toolbox.

"Destination ahead!" He yelled and she looked forward and saw a good sized island approaching. She glared at it, knowing she'd be stuck there until she got to Jirachi and got Ekans' wish granted. She bit her lip, ' _If Gengar is the human from the legend this might be our only shot at lifting the curse without anyone else ever finding out. No need to find someone to lift an already lifted curse after all, right?_ '

"I'm going to try to make sure I get you to the closest point to the cave, from there all you need to do is follow the stars!" He called out over the waves.

"Stars?! But it's still morning!" She waved her hand around in annoyance, "I can't wait around all day to follow the stars!" He shook his head.

"Not those stars, there are landmarks! You'll see what I mean when I get you to the shore!" He told her, she wanted to ask but decided the yelling wasn't worth it and just waited. She looked over at the island trying to take in the sights as they went by. Dewgo began to slow down and Medicham looked at the back of his head.

"We nearly there already?" She asked and he looked back at her, smug grin flashing on his face.

"Yes indeed we are, when you need to get somewhere over the sea in a flash I'm your guy! No distance to great, no waters too deep, and no waterfall too high!" He got them to the island shore and Medicham instantly saw what he'd been talking about before. Not far in the distance was a rock formation that looked like they'd been carved into star shapes.

"Yeah yeah yeah that's great," She replied not wanting to waste time, "So those are the stars I need to follow?" She pointed at them in wonder.

"Yes, that's them, no one knows who put them there but keeping them in sight will get you to wish cave in no time." She slid off his back and waded the short distance to dry land. She looked back at him and he saluted her, "When you're ready to head back just step into the and hold the medallion MK gave you onto the water! I'll come back in a flash!"

"Wait you're not going to wait here for me to come back?"

"Of course not, there could be others needing passage elsewhere and I need to be there for them to. As long as you have that I'll be able to find you. Also fair warning if you leave the dungeon early you'll lose the wish stone so take care and good luck!" He yelled and jetted off towards mainland. Medicham watched as he left until he disappeared under the water. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning and facing the star rocks.

"Keep them in sight." She murmured to herself, "Just keep them in sight." She repeated as she walked towards them, "How hard can that be? All I need to do is head straight toward them." She assured herself with her head back and shoulders straight heading in the direction of the star formation. It wasn't long until she could see the cave right beneath the stars… she glared at the dark cave the distance and then looked down. It wasn't the deepest of ravines, she figured she'd be able to survive a fall… but didn't want to chance finding out the hard way.

"A RAVINE?! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME THERE WAS A RAVINE?!" She yelled, her voice echoing off the walls, "Now how am I going to get to the cave?" She hissed, rubbing her temples. "How is there even a ravine here? You know what? I don't care how. All I care about is getting to the other side of it." She paced back and forth stopping to glare down at the ravine every now and then.

"Maybe waiting for Gengar WOULD have been better. He'd be able to just LEVITATE us over there." She admitted as her shoulders slumped. She stood there like that for a while before scoffing and looking at the cave entrance, so close yet so far.

"What am I going to do?" She clenched her fists at her sides, seething. She turned on her heels, shoulders slumped in defeat. She stopped and glared at the ground, "No. I said I didn't need help, so there's no way I'm going back empty handed." She positioned the Toolbox onto her back and ran at the ravine. Her eyes narrowed as she neared the drop off.

With a heave of her legs she performed a high jump kick with her right leg sticking out ahead of her as she went flying over the ravine. She willed herself to not look down and watched the edge of the cliff draw near. She could feel her heart thumping as she got closer, a wild smirk on her lips. Flames were dancing in her eyes as she got closer and closer until finally her heart sank as fast as she did. ' _Nononono._ ' She focused hard and her eyes began to glow, she was able to get herself the rest of the way and grabbed the ledge and climbed up with an exasperated huff.

"THAT was a close one…" She looked back down, "I complained at the time but… I guess it was a good thing Gengar convinced me to practice my mind instead of my body, even just a little. Not sure how long I could have kept that up though… maybe I should train more. But-" She remembered the feeling of Ekans fear filled broken mind. She shook her head and looked at the cave entrance, noting the Mama Kangaskhan statue to her right.

"So she really wasn't kidding about being here? Don't know why I'm surprised, according to some rumor not long after Sora stopped the star she has a couple statues up in sky tower." She shook her head, smirking.

Looking back up at it she waltzed up to the cave entrance and stopped, looking into the darkness. Squinting to see what would cause her to lose power upon entering, if it's something she could avoid, she shook her head.

"It looks like a plain old cave entrance to me, aside from the star shaped rocks…" She crossed her arms and tapped her foot, closing her eyes and thinking for a moment. ' _What will it be like to lose my strength in there? To be level one again?_ ' She wondered. ' _Better to just go in and find out the hard way I guess._ ' She took one last look at the sky and the sun before walking in and disappearing into the caves entrance.

* * *

As always I hope you guys loved reading it as much as I loved writing it~! ,

Keep on hoping~! and keep on hopping~!


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